


Under Glass

by NotTasha



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alien Planet, Claustrophobia, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Trapped, Wraith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-29 18:04:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 31,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3905710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotTasha/pseuds/NotTasha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The team has been directed to an Ancient Outpost to explore an interesting new transporter system -- too bad it's a trap</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Half

**Author's Note:**

> RATING: PG-13 for Language  
> SEASON: 2 - some time before Michael probably - no definite time period though.  
> DISCLAIMERS: The characters, setting, etc, all belong to Sony, MGM, Gecko, the Sci-Fi Channel... I'm just a poor writer having a little fun. Pay no attention  
> SPOILERS: small ones for "Childhood's End" and "The Hive"  
> DATE: COMPLETE February 16, 2006

CHAPTER 1: PANCAKES AND SYRUP

John Sheppard made his way into the conference room, offering a contrite smile as he realized he was the last to arrive. Even McKay was already there, making use of the ‘down time’ by attacking his laptop.

“Sorry I’m late,” John uttered as he slid into the last available seat. “I could give you an excuse but…”

McKay, still clicking away at his keyboard finished the sentence for him, “…but all the apology would amount to is recognition that you have a lack of time management and perhaps a somewhat Freudian attempt at avoidance.” He never raised his gaze from the screen as he worked.

“There was a line at the mess hall,” John completed. “And they were out of pancakes.”

“Pancakes?” Ronon returned, looking confused. “There were plenty when I went.” He smiled contentedly, looking rather like a lion that had just had his fill of antelope. “Pretty good. I had about a dozen.”

Raising his eyebrows, Sheppard sighed. “Which explains why they were out by the time I got there.”

“I think I like syrup,” Ronon added. "Hashbrowns were good, too."

Sheppard decided not to mention that the ends of Ronon’s dreds looked a little – stickier than usual. It was best not to point out such – not because the colonel feared any retribution for mentioning that the former runner had gotten his hair in the syrup – rather he figured Dex would simply stick the natty ends in his mouth and suck of the remainder. John didn’t want to be a party to that. Instead he watched McKay, finding himself getting irritated at his constant typing.

“Wish they had waffles,” McKay muttered, working still, making Sheppard wonder how he could talk and type at the same time. “But that would mean they’d need a waffle iron, wouldn’t it.”

“Could get Eggos,” Sheppard decided, reaching for the laptop to snap down the lid.

McKay was ahead of him though, muttering, "Let go!" as he moved the computer out of reach.

Weir, looking rather like a beleaguered mother, interrupted the important discussion with, “Shall we get on with this?”

Everyone sat back, looking ready, with the exception of one. Rodney still stooped over his computer, madly typing, paying them no mind. They waited for him to complete his thought.

He didn’t stop.

“Rodney,” Weir called.

“Hmmm,” Rodney voiced, still clattering away.

“Shall we begin?”

“Sure,” Rodney muttered, not slowing. “Now that the Colonel has managed to sashay into our meeting and we’ve confirmed the fact that the mess hall is bereft of either pancakes or waffles…”

“McKay,” Sheppard growled.

When Rodney finally raised his eyes, he caught Sheppard’s expression and let out an, “Oh,” and then, “Very well.” And with a put-upon sigh, he closed down the program, and shut his laptop.

Now that everyone was ready, Weir nodded to Teyla, and the Athosian began. “I have received information from Supai,” she began. “As you know, I have found excellent trading partners on this planet, and a rich source of information gathered from throughout the worlds.”

“Yeah,” Sheppard put in. “We’ve dealt with them before.”

“Haven’t turned up much of interest,” Rodney commented, looking bored. “I think the last tidbit we received from them resulted in us finding a planet with… trees. Oh! What a surprise.”

Sheppard suppressed a smile.

Teyla dipped her head toward the colonel and continued, “They have gained knowledge of something on Tusayan.”

“Tusayan?” Sheppard tried the name.

“P5H-997,” McKay rattled off. “Captain Ozette’s team explored there a few months ago. Found nothing.” He fretted at the corner of his laptop, as if itching to open it again.

“The discovery is recent,” Teyla went on. “A hunting party from Tuweep uncovered a doorway. They believe it was designed by the Ancestors.”

“To weep?” Sheppard tried this name as well.

“P8L-745,” McKay informed.

“They are traders and hunters,” Teyla told him.

Ronon grunted. “Tuweep was heavily culled by the Wraith. The few who escaped now survive by harvesting what they can from the uninhabited worlds – game, fruit, information. Sell it elsewhere.”

“The Tuweepans are good people, poorly used by the Wraith,” Teyla explained.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! You said something about a doorway,” McKay stated, raising a hand. “The Twerpers found an Ancient doorway on P5H-997?”

“Tuweepans,” Teyla gently corrected. “And yes, that is the information we received.”

Looking a bit aggrieved, McKay went on, “That’s all they could say? A doorway?”

Teyla stiffened a bit. “They copied the three symbols that were found near it.” She opened the folder, displaying the rough papers within. The first was a map. She pushed that aside to reveal pages with symbols scribed on them.

“Ooo!” McKay exclaimed.

Ronon made a “Harrumph” sound.

Sheppard leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest and tried not to look bored.

Weir leaned closer. She touched the closest paper. “This one says ‘power’.” She pushed it aside to find the next. “And this is a symbol for ‘solar system’.”

McKay leaned over his laptop to grasp one of the papers that was half-hidden under the others. “This…” he said, stubbing a finger at the written symbol. “…is the same symbol used to designate a transporter!”

Sheppard furrowed his brow and settled all his chair feet on the floor. “A solar-system wide transporter?”

McKay, still leaning toward the symbol, turned toward the colonel. “Oh,” he started, a smile quirking his lips. “We gotta go there.” Beaming, he glanced from Weir to Sheppard, then from Teyla to Dex.

Teyla, looking eager, added, “Finding a transporter that could send a passenger anywhere in a solar system would be a helpful asset.”

Ronon frowned. “Why would they need it if they could just use a Stargate to reach other planets?”

Rodney shrugged. “There are several livable planets in that solar system, some more livable than others. P5H-997 is the only planet with a Gate.” He pointed to one of the papers in front of Weir. “This symbol says ‘power’. This transporter probably needed a lot of power to work. I mean, it’s gotta if you’re transporting people from planet to planet.” And a grin lit the physist's face.

“And if the device needed a lot of power…” Sheppard stated, seeing where McKay was going.

“There is possibly a ZPM at the location,” Weir completed.

“But didn’t Ozette’s team check out the planet?” Ronon asked.

“Yes,” McKay responded with a snap. “But if the ZPM had been powered down and insulated in some way to escape detection, and if the team searching the planet didn’t do a thorough job of it…” and he drew out that thought looking toward Sheppard. “…it may have been missed.”

Sheppard pursed his lips. “Well,” he drawled, “Seems to me that we should pay a visit to this place. I’m pretty sure that we could make use of a transporter like that.” He tried to ignore Ronon who had suddenly stared at the ends of his dreadlocks.

McKay smiled even wider and glanced to the expedition leader. “So… Elizabeth?” he tried.

Weir gave a curt nod. “Agreed,” she conceded. “Go check it out.”

“You never know,” McKay returned. “We may leave through the gate, but come back an entirely different way.”

Weir sighed, letting her eyes fall upon Ronon, who had suddenly decided to suck on his hair. She tore her attention away from the sight as she commented, “Just as long as you all come back, that’s all I ask.”  
\--------------------  
The planet of Tusayan was rather like many they’d seen in their travels – offering a passing resemblance to the forests of southwestern British Columbia --- filled with ferns and firs. There were no current residents on the planet – Wraith cullings, over several generations, had devastated the population and, just recently, had completely emptied the hamlets of all souls – and no one cared to fill the vacancy.

A strange series of poles greeted them as they stepped through the wormhole. The structures had been erected near the gate – in an attempt to keep the Wraith from entering in their darts. Apparently they had served their purpose, for the structures remained standing and had thwarted any plan of entering with a jumper. McKay had pointed out, when the situation had been described to him, that someone could easily take down the poles and make their own lives easier.

Teyla had refused this idea – saying that the poles were placed as a reminder to lives lost. The team would walk. 

Why hadn’t the Wraith removed the poles themselves? Why bother? They’d made short work of the residents on foot. The poles proved rather useless and perhaps the Wraith had left them as a testament to folly. In any case, the planet was empty now and they had no reason to harvest it any longer.

Sheppard and the others stood at the foot of the Stargate’s platform, staring up at the poles with their garish decorations. The tall wooden structures were adorned with bits of hanging metal—twisting and clattering in the breeze. Broken branches were strung from cords, clawing at the air. Glass bottles – broken and jagged -- glinted as they spun about on chains, and strange shapes hung, clothed in the remnants of Wraith clothing.

“Seems that they managed to kill a couple of them,” Sheppard commented, cocking his head as he watched the macabre scarecrows sway in the breeze. The bits of metal rattled above them, chains squeaked -- sounding out of place in the otherwise quiet world.

Teyla nodded, staring up at the adornments. “It is noted that the Tusayans, many years ago, managed to kill two of the Wraith.”

“How’d they do it?” Sheppard asked, knowing how difficult it was to kill one of those creatures, and by the looks of the surrounding architecture, this civilization looked as if it was caught somewhere in the USA's 19th century.

Teyla explained, “They sent a hillside of rock down onto the wraith.”

“Anyone can get lucky,” Ronon put in. “The Wraith allowed themselves to be in that position. They are overconfident.” He shrugged and walked under the hanging construction, as if the cacophonous ghoulish things were an everyday sight.

Edging back toward the gate, Rodney pointed, asking, “Those are bodies? They dug the Wraith out, strung them up and left them to… hang there?”

Teyla nodded, remembering the ‘shrine’ that the children had erected on M7G-677. “It is likely.” She ducked as she walked under the display, not looking up as she went through. Rodney and John followed – moving quickly as the whole thing squeaked and rattled above them.

They made their way past vacant buildings. It was one long street, lined with two-story buildings with a wooden walkway in front – all weather-beaten and about to fall to pieces. A balcony ran along the length of the second level on both sides of the street. Paint peeled to reveal pale wood beneath. Signs that had once adored the storefronts hung helter-skelter, or lay broken on the walkway.

Curiously enough, the windows remained intact. “Why do you think that’d be?” Sheppard asked when McKay pointed it out.

“No punk kids to smash them,” McKay decided, as he stepped onto the creaking walkway. He peered through the glass into the empty and overturned interior.

“Looks like a ghost town to me,” Sheppard commented as he stood beside McKay, looking out into the surrounding area.

“Ghosts?” Ronon asked. “You are suspecting ghosts?”

“No,” McKay answered abruptly. “It’s a name for abandoned towns like these.” He cupped his hands around his eyes as he looked into the next window. “Seems that they sold mining equipment here,” he stated. “This planet does have certain interesting ores that might have been valuable at some time.”

Ronon simply kicked open a rotting door to look within. McKay threw him an annoyed look, but Dex didn’t seem to care, poking around in the strewn stuff that had been left behind. He toed at the debris, finding nothing of note.

Rapping on the window, Sheppard pointed to Ronon in the room, and gestured for him to come out. And so, they continued down the ‘main street’ of empty buildings.

“So,” McKay started when they reached the end of the row of buildings and faced the forest. “How far is it?” He hoisted his pack into a more comfortable position. “I mean, I’m all for a little exercise every now again. Well, the less the better really, but it’s okay as long as we keep it short.” He stopped talking and fiddled with his scanner to avoid any further clarifying.

“According to the map,” Teyla informed, as she held it before her. “It is approximately three miles in this direction.”

McKay groaned. Ronon looked unenthusiastic. Sheppard nodded, stating, “I hope the route is fairly level. I’m not in the mood for mountain climbing.”

Ten minutes later, McKay was sniping as they struggled up over the rugged hillside – ever upward. “I hope the route is fairly level,” he mocked as he climbed over another boulder, grasping onto the supple branches of a convenient fir. Heather-like vegetation coated the stones and refused to be scraped away in spite of his abuse.

“Could be worse…” Ronon started, but was cut off instantly by both Sheppard and McKay.

“Don’t!” they shouted in unison.

“I was just going to say…” Ronon tried to explain.

“I know what you were trying to say,” Sheppard explained. “But you should know that the quickest way to make things worse is to say outright that things could be worse.”

Ronon paused, glancing from Sheppard (who glared) to McKay (who was still struggling at the rock) to Teyla (who offered him a smile). “I didn’t realize they were so superstitious,” Ronon commented to the Athosian.

“They have their…” Teyla paused, watching McKay struggle. He had managed to get one foot up at the top, and one hand firmly onto a branch, the other clutching a handful of the weedy, heather-like groundcover that seemed to be everywhere. His hind-end waggled in the effort to draw himself over. “…their quirks,” she completed.

Ronon snorted, and offered a helping hand to the physicist, shoving his rump forward. McKay let out an “Eeep!” but made it to the top of the latest obstacle faster than he would have on his own. He turned to Ronon, not sure if he should be furious or thankful.

“Let’s keep moving, little man,” Ronon said, his voice a low rumble as he easily scrambled up the rocks that had given McKay so much trouble.

McKay sputtered for a moment, but finally came back with, “Yes, let’s.” He watched Ronon moving onward. “It’s a lot easier when you have long legs and arms,” he stated, brushing the irritating heather from his hands. “A lot easier. I’m just sayin’.”

In response, Ronon squatted down and offered McKay a hand. With a sigh, Rodney accepted the help and was hoisted up over the next rock. Ronon gave him a grin, thumped him on the chest and continued on their quest.

“He’s not even winded,” McKay complained under his breath as he looked up, seeing the route yet ahead of them. “Hey, it looks like there's easier climbing there,” he stated, pointing to a bare patch that scarred one side of the hill.

Ronon stepped back, and checked out the indicated area. “The hill’s unstable. Gravel would be hard to walk across -- no traction.” He pointed. “The rocks above keep slipping down.” He indicated a top-heavy looking ledge that overlooked the bald spot. “Don’t want to get caught up in that if it gives way.”

“God forbid,” McKay responded, trying not to sound annoyed at being corrected.

If Ronon noticed, he gave no sign. He slapped McKay’s shoulder (nearly toppling him) and continued on his way.

Looking irritated, McKay turned to Sheppard and muttered, “Why does he have to keep mauling me?”

Ronon, just ahead, chuckled. And the group continued onward.

Once they had made it to the bare top of the hill, they continued across the crest – until they came to a downward slope, and they’d still not reached their destination.

“Oh, give me a break,” McKay grumbled, snatching the map from Teyla. “Haven’t these people ever heard of topographical markings? Really, if we had known about this we could have skirted the whole issue and gone around this mound. Look!” He pointed. “There’s a valley down there. We could have avoided all this climbing. We could have come through there.”

“They may have had their reasons,” Teyla commented. “The path around the hill would be longer.”

“But easier!” McKay added. “If we had an easier trail, we’d make better time.”

Ronon corrected him, “Easier is usually the worse possible choice. Harder the trail, the less likely you’ll be followed.” He glanced down at the valley that surrounded them. “There could be something there that we are unaware of.”

Groaning, McKay sat down, massaging his foot through his boot. “I bet they just sent us this way to make it harder on us,” he grumbled petulantly. “Or maybe there’s something they didn’t want us to find. When we go home, we take the valley.”

Sheppard sighed, glancing down the opposite side of the hill, finding it just as steep as the side they’d just surmounted. “We stick to the map,” he finally decided.

“Fine,” McKay grumbled, getting to his feet. “But if I fall on my face…”

“We’ll pick you up,” Ronon conceded halfheartedly.

“Might drag you a bit,” Sheppard added, slapping his friend on the shoulder, and striding forward, ready to begin their downward path.

McKay remained a moment longer, shaking his head in disbelief. “They keep hitting me,” he complained to Teyla, who waited for him. “I bruise easy. Don’t know why they have to do that.”

Teyla smiled in return, understanding the friendly actions and realizing that McKay, in his own way, did too. She gestured for him to get on his way, and with a sigh, Dr. McKay complied.

The team made better time on the downward slope, sliding and scrambling on the rocky hillside. They were nearly at the bottom when Teyla called them to a stop, announcing that they were nearly there. McKay, who had struggled at the back of the pack, forced his way forward to examine the map, then took the lead as they closed on their quarry.

“It must be around here somewhere,” Rodney muttered, as he glanced around the area, holding his scanner out in front of him. “I mean as much as we can trust this map – it should be right about here.”

“The map has been accurate to this point,” Teyla reminded.

“Yes,” McKay agreed, “Except for the fact that it failed to mark out the hill.”

“All right then,” Sheppard declared. “Fan out and see what you can find.”

They kept close as they searched. Rodney, John and Teyla moved about in patterns, pressing back the scraggly trees that grew in the harsh soil, searching the hillside for the hidden door.

Ronon didn’t participate in the search. Instead, he stepped back, moving further down the hill and providing cover. It wasn’t as if they’d seen any sign of trouble, but the former runner was rarely comfortable when his team was on an unfamiliar planet. He moved further away, scuffling at the steep terrain until he found something strange. A little further examination, and he realized he’d found the remainder of an ancient trail.

He stopped moving for a moment, staring his feet. “Hey,” he said softly.

“Hey, what?” McKay snapped back.

“A path,” the Satedan stated. He looked up, following the trail with his gaze until he spotted it. “And a door.”  
CHAPTER 2: THE ESSENCE OF JENFRUIT

Instantly, the group converged. Teyla and Sheppard came alongside the Satedan –McKay pressed forward, any trepidation overcome by the joy of discovery. He approached the door with his scanner held out before him like a talisman. “Yes…” he muttered, running the device around the perimeter of the doorway. “Oh… yes!”

“You getting any power readings?” Sheppard asked, trying to catch a glimpse of the scanner’s display, and not being able to interpret the blips anyway.

In response, McKay smiled.

“ZPM?” Sheppard asked.

The smile dropped to a frown. “Possible,” the physicist replied a little glumly. “Perhaps one that is nearly depleted or… powered down.” The last realization perked him up a bit.

The site had been cleared, hanging vines and roots removed, and dirt had been scraped away. The decorative archway was impressive – and obviously of Ancient design.

Sheppard stepped closer to examine the symbols at the lintel – the symbols that the Tuweepan hunters had discovered and copied down. There were other hieroglyphs running down either side of the door.

“Why you think they went through all that trouble?” Sheppard asked as McKay fussed about.

“Trouble?”

“Yeah,” Sheppard responded. “Those hunters who found it, they cleaned out all the crap around this thing. And, they took the time to record the three most important symbols. What are the chances?”

“The three most PROMINENT symbols,” McKay interjected. “Anyone would have chosen them,” he said, pointing to the largest symbols above the door.

“Then,” Sheppard continued, “They brought the information to one of our trading partners. Why?”

“Probably because they expected some sort of reward for their troubles,” McKay responded sharply. He glanced to Teyla. “Don’t they get some sort of colored glass or a string of beads for providing information?”

The Athosian pursed her lips. “The information was reported in Supai and delivered to us through an intermediary. No tokens were exchanged.”

“Hmm,” McKay responded, not listening. “Well, I’m sure they expected something for their trouble.” He waved a hand, dismissing any argument as he poked around the doorway. “I mean, why bother putting oneself out if one isn’t expecting some sort tangible reward in return.” McKay’s gaze was on his scanner, and he smiled as he worked.

“For the love of it?” Sheppard tried, grinning at his friend’s back.

“I doubt these hunter can live off of that,” McKay continued. “We should probably think up something. Tell people, ‘bring us an Ancient Artifact, get a prize’. We could even have posters printed up.”

“Free pancakes when information submitted leads us to Ancient Technology,” Sheppard tried.

“Throw in a bottle of syrup if a ZPM is involved,” McKay added.

Teyla and Ronon exchanged a glance. The former runner shrugged, telling her in a low voice, “I’d go for it.”

“You find anything yet?” Sheppard asked, letting himself sound annoyed at the wait – knowing only seconds had passed since McKay started his search.

“Give me a minute,” Rodney snapped. He paused, and grinned widely as he spotted something unseen by any of the others. He pressed a hand and a panel opened. He looked to Sheppard, a self-satisfied expression burnishing his face.

Sheppard returned the look with a smug smile, and hoisted his P90, preparing for what might be within.

McKay touched the revealed panel and the door instantly pulled upward. A room gaped beyond – dark and dense. Sheppard flicked on the P90’s light and checked out what was revealed -- one room – the architecture familiar, mimicking Atlantis. There was a console, and several dark alcoves – everything looked pristine and untouched.

“Well?” McKay groused, obviously annoyed that Sheppard had managed to block him from entering. “Can we get on with it?”

“Ronon,” Sheppard said as he stepped forward. “Can you keep watch out there?”

Dex relaxed. “Sure,” he responded.

The other three moved forward. As Sheppard walked in, lights came on – nearly blinding after the previous darkness. With one hand, he clicked off the flashlight and narrowed his eyes at the room, moving forward judiciously.

McKay breezed right past him, and paused at the console. “This obviously is the control panel for the room,” he stated.

“Obviously,” Sheppard echoed.

Flashing his gaze over the controls, McKay nodded and uttered a quiet, “Uh-huh, uh-huh. Okay.” He looked up, scanning the walls of the room. It was a relatively small space – hexagonal – about twenty feet across. At each wall was a doorway –the exit behind them – the other five openings led to small alcoves.

“The transporters,” McKay declared, approaching one. “Smaller than on Atlantis.” He glanced about the area. “About as big as a…” and he paused to come up with a proper comparison.

“Coffin?” Sheppard supplied.

“I was going to say ‘shower stall’,” McKay told him.

“In a camper maybe,” Sheppard went on. “So, why are they smaller?” he asked, sidling up next to the control panel. “Thought this would be a more sophisticated system.”

“Probably the power requirements dictated that only small ‘packets’ could be transmitted,” McKay conjectured, bringing his hands together in an attempt to illustrate ‘small’. “They were sending people over an enormous distance – planet to planet. Makes perfect sense.”

“Speaking of power,” John prodded. “Any sign of that ZPM?”

“Looking,” McKay continued, flashing the scanner about with an annoyed expression. “Power source is very weak here.” He tapped at his favorite Ancient device. “It doesn’t appear to be a ZPM. Hmmm. Possibly the power is stored in a buffer.”

“Buffer?”

“There’s always a buffer, colonel,” McKay said tiredly.

“Power had to come from somewhere,” the colonel decided as he moved past Teyla. The Athosian smiled at him, seeming to enjoy the banter between the two.

“My, what an interesting theory you’ve fashioned, Colonel,” McKay sniped. “Yes, I fully realize that power must come from ‘somewhere’. Once I’ve done a scan of this room, I’ll discover exactly how this room is powered and how we will get our hands on the source.”

John leaned over the counter, examining the controls – similar and yet different from what he was used to on Atlantis. He reached out to finger a lever that was just begging to be toggled.

McKay chose that instant to lift his gaze. “Don’t!” he exclaimed, shooting one hand out toward Sheppard. “Don’t touch anything!”

“I wasn’t!” Sheppard complained in return.

“You were, and you would have,” McKay replied.

Sheppard turned to Teyla who moved in beside him. He gave her a questioning glance.

She returned the expression with a knowing smile and nodded, putting on an expression that said she knew him better than he knew himself.

For that, she got a dirty look.

McKay went on, oblivious. “Let’s not touch anything until we – meaning Dr. Rodney McKay – know exactly how this place functions.” He maneuvered to Sheppard and stood beside him to glance down at the controls. His hands moved over them, not touching anything, but seeming to trace everything.

Sheppard watched his face, noting the way McKay’s eyes took on a hawk sharp expression. It was as if someone had turned on a data recorder and McKay was absorbing everything.

Teyla wandered about the room, silently examining it. Ronon remained outside, keeping an eye on the surrounding area.

“The buttons in this circle correspond with the alcoves around the room,” McKay stated, one hand hovering over the circle of controls. The other hand moved to another series of buttons, but this time the buttons were set up in series growing ellipses. “This control would correspond to the planets within the solar system.” He lifted his gaze to grin at Sheppard. “Controlling the transporter is straightforward. Just touch the button corresponding to the appropriate alcove and configure it to the chosen planet. There must be a receiving station on the other end.” He changed his gaze to Teyla. “Quite easy, really.”

“What’s that button in the center for?” Sheppard asked, indicating the control that was set in the midst the ‘transporter bay’ buttons.

McKay cocked his head a moment, then strode away from the panel. In the center of the room, the tiles on the floor formed a large circle. He looked up at the corresponding circle on the ceiling. “Large matter transporter,” he decided, rubbing his chin.

Teyla finally spoke up, asking, “And what is a ‘large matter transporter’?”

“Oh, it may be similar to a ring platform, but I'm thinkin'," and he paused to point to his head. "I'm thinkin' this is something much bigger. For instance," He spread his arms. "It's bigger."

"Ring platform?" Teyla repeated, sounding perplexed.

McKay waved a hand to rid himself of any further questions. "We believe that the Ancients mined the planets surrounding this world. To do that they’d have to transport people and supplies – and transport the mined product back to this base, correct?” When he received nods in return, McKay went on, “People were transported in the alcoves. Supplies…” and he pointed to the circle on the floor.

Sheppard didn’t look convinced. “Doesn’t look like their sort of design. Looks a little… sloppy.”

“Doesn’t matter,” McKay countered. “It didn’t need to be neat. They didn’t care if things got rearranged a bit in transit. You send raw supplies and it doesn’t really matter if one bit of it ends up on the opposite side of its original position.”

“Could be trouble if you're transporting munitions,” Sheppard told him. “Or tools of some sort.”

“Yes, but they weren’t transporting pick axes and flash bangs, were they?” McKay muttered. “When I said raw supplies, I mean the basics. And the transporter wouldn’t tear apart elements or molecules. It might just put them back together a bit… wrong… on one side. Hardly matters when you’re sending rocks or a pile of potatoes.”

“Okay, McKay,” Sheppard responded. “If you say so.”

McKay harrumphed and continued looking about, as Teyla and Sheppard kept watch within. The scientist kept scanning, when he suddenly frowned and turned toward them. With a grimace, he declared, “Something feels off.”

“Off?” Teyla questioned. “But the power has turned on?”

Ronon, just outside the door tried, “Maybe he means it smells ‘off’, like something died in there.” He took an experimental whiff at the doorway. “Smells clean,” he offered.

With a put-upon sigh, McKay explained, “But that’s just it. Something isn’t right. It feels… hinky.”

“Hinky,” Teyla repeated, glancing first to Ronon, who shrugged as he turned his back on the room to keep watch.

“It’s a scientific term,” Sheppard supplied helpfully. “It means ‘weird, odd, bizarre’.”

“Unsettling,” McKay added with vehemence. “Disturbing, disconcerting, troubling…”

“And you believe that something is ‘hinky’ because…” Teyla trailed off, watching the doctor scuttle about like a beetle.

“I don’t know,” McKay answered truthfully. “It’s almost too clean.”

Sheppard ran a finger along a counter, gaining a gasp from McKay.

“What did I say about touching things!” he cried.

Sheppard raised his digit, showing a clean fingertip. “Tidy,” he declared.

Teyla nodded. “The Ancients are known to be …” she struggled a moment to find the right word. “…clean,” she finally decided.

“Cleanliness, after all, is next to godliness,” Sheppard added. “So it’s probably got a lot to do with getting yourself ascended.”

“But that’s just it,” McKay went on. “It’s clean. It’s very clean.” He snapped his fingers. “Lemons! Or something like them. Smell it?”

Sheppard and Teyla both stood quietly for a moment, sniffing the air. Ronon, at the doorway, turned again and took a deeper sniff. “Jenfruit,” he declared, nodded, and turned away once more.

Teyla nodded. “The room does smell slightly of the fruit,” she conceded. “The jenfruit tree grows on many worlds, usually near brooks. The fruit is a pleasure to all who encounter it.”

“Tasty,” Ronon declared, as if everything edible didn’t already fall into this category. “I wouldn’t mind sinking my teeth into a jen right now.”

Sheppard frowned, not smelling anything peculiar.

“Citrus?” Rodney pursued.

Teyla nodded again. “Most people find the jenfruit very enjoyable.”

McKay scowled. “Well, don’t count me among them.”

Teyla went on, “It is often used in cleaning.” She offered a smile. “It is a delightful food, prized by many and treasured for its pleasing flavor. The fragrance is refreshing.”

To that, McKay scowled. “Why does everyone think lemons make things smell better? They’re always scenting cleaning products with it. It’s the odor of death if you ask me.”

Sheppard chuckled. “The scent isn’t going to hurt you.”

“Very little of the actual fruit essence would have been used in cleaning,” Teyla said helpfully.

“One drop could kill me!” McKay reminded.

“Don’t worry about it,” Sheppard ordered, watching as McKay moved about the room as if he was terrified to touch anything. “Let’s get this place checked out and then you can go detox.”

“You’re a funny man,” McKay grumbled. “You don’t get it. Someone cleaned up in here, recently. Why would it still stink of this stuff it they hadn’t?”

Teyla cocked her head in thought, gazing at the once-pristine floor where they had tramped some of the forest’s dirt. “Perhaps a fruit had been left behind by the Ancestors in this room and…”

“After 10,000 years, I’d think the juicy jen would have rotted to dust,” McKay snapped.

“An air freshener?” John tried. “You know, they got those deals in restrooms that shoot out scent every few minutes. Maybe they got one here that’s motion sensitive? We activated it when we came in. Yeah, I’m betting they had someone working here that had some severe body odor issues. They installed something to freshen up the place while he was here.” When McKay scowled at him, John returned with. “It’s a possibility.”

“An Ancient with BO?” McKay snarked.

“They’re only human… or super-human, I guess,” Sheppard continued.

“You want to know what I think?” McKay returned.

“Got a feeling you’ll tell us,” Sheppard responded.

“I think someone has been in here before us.”

Teyla spoke up, “The Tuweepans that found the doorway may have entered. Perhaps they managed to open the door?”

“But why clean up?” McKay asked. “I rather doubt that a couple of squirrel hunters would have figured out how to open the door, but let’s suppose they did. Then, why not let us know about the room? Why not give us a glowing report about everything they found instead of just ‘a door’?”

“Perhaps they thought it wrong to enter the room of the Ancestors,” Teyla said helpfully. “They thought we might not be happy with what they had done.”

“And they wouldn’t get any pancakes if they annoyed us,” Ronon added from outside.

McKay groaned. “Why clean up?”

Sheppard scuffed at the floor, marked with his footprints. “Made a mess?” he surmised. “Wanted it to look like they didn’t take a peek before they gave it up to us.”

“Possibly they were looking for artifacts,” Ronon stated, snapping a branch off a nearby tree. “Might have raided the place first. Took anything that wasn’t nailed down. Then figured they’d sell off the empty room to us. Had to cover their trail.”

“Makes sense,” Sheppard agreed.

“No, it doesn’t,” McKay snapped. “It’s weird.” He looked from one of his friends to another. “You got to admit… it’s weird.”

“Hinky,” Teyla added.

“Figure we should get out of here?” Sheppard asked.

McKay grimaced. “Let me get a recording of the symbols in here. Maybe we can just video everything without causing any trouble.” And he tugged his camera from his cache of equipment in his pack.

Sheppard drew his weapon close as he examined the room with new interest. The citrus scent had been undetectable to him – and now that the three of them were in the room – stinking it up after their hike – he would probably never be able to detect it. He turned slowly, watching as his friend filmed the room, running the camera over the control panel, then around the walls, trying to encompass everything.

It was clean. Did that mean anything? No – they’d found rooms that were ‘tidy’ before. Why should that mean anything? But, as much as he hated to admit it, John was getting a little creeped out.

“Maybe we should get moving,” Sheppard said.

“I’m almost done,” McKay shot back.

The colonel moved about stealthily, trying to discover evidence that could lead them to why the place might have the faint (now gone) clean scent of a lemon-like fruit. He’d blame it all on McKay’s imagination, except that Teyla and Ronon had sensed it, too.

He glanced to Teyla, finding her glancing about the room as if she expected something to jump out at them. Ronon seemed content, swishing his stick about at the weeds and keeping his gaze on the surrounding area.

It was probably nothing.

No need to worry.

Damn it, McKay! You take a perfectly normal room and get us all worked up over nothing.

But McKay was right, the longer he stayed here, the more hinky the place felt.

“Let’s go,” Sheppard declared.

“Hang on,” McKay responded. “I’m almost done. I have to be sure to record an alcove.”

“Time to go,” John declared, forcefully.

“It’s important!” McKay returned, “We need to understand how this all works. I need shots of the underside of the control panel after this, and then I’ll be done.”

Teyla let out a breath of relief and headed toward the door.

“We’ll download the data and check it out in Atlantis. Come back when we know more,” McKay said with a smile as he examined the opening to the alcove. He chuckled softly, trying to sound casual, but unable to keep the tension from his voice. “It was probably nothing,” he said, directing the camera into the little space. “Just me being… you know. I’m sure everything is fine.”

But as he stepped fully into the alcove, the trap was sprung.

CHAPTER 3: SNAP

Fine-honed survival instincts kicked in as Teyla tucked and rolled through the exit, just as the doorway sliced down with a snap. She felt the force of it trying to clip at her heels as it clapped shut. She came up in a crouch, her hair still in motion – even as the Satedan lunged forward in a fruitless attempt to stop the door’s descent.

With a shout, he jabbed down his stick to wedge it open, but the door was unstoppable and he managed only to deflect the staff on the hard surface.

Teyla stared at the shut door in disbelief. “Colonel,” she whispered. “Doctor McKay!” But she was faced with the cold hard surface. She changed her gaze to look at Ronon.

The Satedan scowled, looking as annoyed as hell as he battered the doorway with the staff.  
\--------------------  
Within the room, transparent doors on the alcoves slammed down with equal efficiency. McKay, his senses less adapted to such dangers, slammed himself backward to avoid being sliced in two, effectively trapping himself within.

Sheppard, in the main room, had time to do nothing beside snap his weapon up and search for a target.

For a moment, no one spoke. Sheppard looked about frantically, searching out some sign of attack. McKay gasped, clutching at his pack and the recorder, his eyes wide. Nothing moved. Within the room, the only sound was whisk of Sheppard’s uniform as he searched for a target and the muffled panting of the scientist under glass.

“Hey!” McKay squeaked. He cleared his throat, and tried again, his voice stronger, “What? What… Hey!” He cringed in the back of the alcove, hands gripping at the pack as if it was a shield. “Colonel!”

On the alert, Sheppard shifted about. “Hang on, Rodney.”

“Yeah, easy for you to say. You’re not the one stuck in a…” The scientist paused and let out a quiet little, “oh no…”

“Quiet down, McKay,” Sheppard growled.

Rodney released the camera into his pack and reached forward, splaying out the hand so that it hovered centimeters from the transparent door. Open, he thought. Come on, open!

Slowly, he let his hand land on the substance. He swallowed and glanced at the close walls on all sides. “Colonel,” he cried, as his hand spidered along the hard surface.

But Sheppard snapped on his radio. “Teyla! Ronon!”

“We are here, Colonel,” Teyla answered immediately. “We are fine,” she added, to forestall the question she knew was coming. “Are you and Doctor McKay all right?”

“Fine,” Sheppard shot back.

Clicking on his own mic, Rodney added, “Fine is a relative term! We’re trapped in here. I’m trapped in a painfully small alcove. Seriously, get us out!” To himself, after he shut down the connection, he uttered a quiet, “Wide open fields… wide open fields.”

Within the room, Sheppard heard a ‘tick’, against the outer door and commented, “Hitting it won’t help, Ronon.”

Over the com, Dex growled, “It won’t open!”

“We have to get out,” McKay whined as he pressed his hand harder against the door, as if it might find a secret way through if he just pushed hard enough. “We have to get out. Now!”

Sheppard glanced to McKay. “Bet it just takes a little mental nudge."

"I've tried that! You think I didn't try that?"

"Maybe there's some bug in the system. Might need someone to try opening it from here.”

“Well, do it then!” McKay ordered. “Quit messing around.”

Sheppard considered offering a snappy comeback, but instead, did as McKay had so graciously requested, mentally sending a nudge to the doors.

Nothing happened.

“Get on with it!” McKay hollered. “Come on. Chop-chop! I don’t have all day here.”

“Didn’t work,” Sheppard admitted, and seeing Rodney’s crestfallen look, he stated, “Why don’t you try again?”

“Right. Yes.” McKay responded. He paused, and dropped the pack to his feet. Then, folding his arms over his chest, he closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. After a moment, he peeped open one eye, seeing nothing had changed. “I’m a dead man,” he piped. “We’re doomed.”

“Colonel?” Teyla’s voice came over the radio again, sounding worried.

“We’re fine,” Sheppard repeated. “But we haven’t been able to get anything open.”

Teyla continued, “I am looking for the control panel, Dr. McKay. It is no longer open.” There was a pause. “Can you tell me how to find it?”

Within the glassed-off alcove, McKay grimaced. “Just press on the same area where it was before. It’s not as if the panel moved. A little pressure and it should open.”

“I am trying to find the location,” Teyla’s voice returned.

“You don’t remember where it is?” McKay asked incredulously. “I just had it open. Didn’t you pay any attention?”

Teyla responded, her voice remarkably level, “I am not certain of its exact location.”

“It’s right next to the symbol for ‘patience’, for Christ’s sake!”

“I am unfamiliar…”

“Chest high!” Rodney snipped, and reached out, demonstrating for no purpose. “My chest… not yours. And not Ronon’s either. My God, if you were aiming for HIS chest-high, they’d be putting those things on the rooftops.”

Ronon snorted over the radio, and then pointed out, “It’s not there. She’s trying in many places.” 

“Of course it’s there!” Rodney snapped. “I had just activated it.”

Sheppard came across the room to stand near McKay as Teyla responded, “It will not open.”

“Might be cued to the gene,” John stated.

“Great,” McKay muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. He pressed his eyes tightly shut, trying to blot out his tight surroundings, remembering one of the reasons he’d become an astrophysicist – the vastness of the universe. “Just great… Okay.” His head shot up and he gave Sheppard a sharp look. “Why aren’t you looking for a panel on the inside of the main entrance? Go! There must be one on the inside as well!”

“Gotcha,” Sheppard replied, and bounded across the room to the door. Over the radio, he stated, “I’m going to try it from in here.”

McKay, looking unusually forlorn, pressed his forehead against the barrier, only to pull it back when he realized it might be coming up in an instant. Sheppard cocked his head at the walls surrounding the doorway. 

“What the hell are you waiting for?” McKay demanded to know. “To the right. Try to the right.”

With a confident motion, Sheppard slapped the wall at chest height. A panel fell back. He grinned over his shoulder at McKay.

“Colonel!” Teyla’s voice came over the radio. “Stop what you are doing! You have activated…” There was a searing sound of weapons fire, followed by, “Ronon! No!”   
\--------------------  
The Satedan dove, coming up firing. Above him, the sphere ducked and bobbed, shifting about in the air unnaturally. He fired again, missing as the thing zagged when he thought it would zig.

In his ear, he heard Sheppard, “Ronon! Teyla! Report!”

Followed by McKay, “What happened? What’s going on? You’re getting us out, right?”

But neither he nor Teyla had the time to respond. The metallic device hovered menacingly above.

“It is a Wraith probe!” Teyla shouted to Dex.

“I know,” Ronon growled through his teeth. 

“We cannot let it escape.”

Ronon threw the Athosian a glance as if she was the one suddenly stating things far too obvious.

The sphere chose that moment to speed away. It snapped upward, then careened down the slope, into the valley. Ronon, without hesitation, galumphed after it, like a mastiff after a tennis ball. Teyla, in contrast, paused. She lifted a hand to her ear and breathlessly stated, “Colonel, a Wraith Probe was released from somewhere near the entrance to the facility.”

“What?” McKay’s voice responded. “Wraith? Are you sure?”

“I am certain,” Teyla replied, watching the forest where Ronon had disappeared. She could hear him crashing through the undergrowth – the discharge of his weapon. “It was identical to the one we saw on M7G-677, the planet with the children.”

“Disable it!” Sheppard’s voice snapped.

“Ronon is pursuing it,” Teyla told him. She glanced uneasily to the still shut door. “Do you want me to follow, or should I attempt to release you from the room?”

“Open the door!” she heard McKay shout an answer.

But, even as Rodney spoke, Sheppard replied with, “Don’t let that probe reach the gate! Go after him, Teyla. One of you has to stop it!”

“Yes, Colonel,” she responded, nodding resolutely and taking off into the undergrowth after Ronon.  
\--------------------  
Sheppard stepped closer to the main door, his hand still against his ear as if it would help him hear what his people were up against, but the transmission had ended. In frustration, he slammed a fist against the sealed opening, accomplishing nothing beyond bruising his hand.

“They’re gone? But…but!” McKay sputtered. “But… we’re trapped here! Oh, we’re in serious trouble.” He made a move as if to pace, but there was no room, and all he managed to do was to turn around in a tight circle. A big open ocean -- he tried to picture the sea that surrounded Atlantis. Big wide open ocean. Aw hell, that wouldn’t help! “A trap,” he cried. “This was specifically set to capture us! Do you realize that?”

“We don’t know that McKay.”

“Door slamming down that won’t open. A Wraith probe appearing out of nowhere and taking off like a bat out of hell? What was that all about? Do you think the probe just came by to take a gander at the local hairstyles? Because if it were using Ronon and Teyla as models…” And McKay stopped abruptly, rubbing one hand over his face. “Let’s just thank God they didn’t get a gander at you.”

“McKay,” Sheppard called, trying to get the man on track.

“I’ll bet you anything the probe is headed right to the Gate, and that it has some sort of internal GDO that’ll let it dial whatever address leads it to the closest Wraith armada and then it’ll transmit the fact that we are trapped here,” McKay spoke faster and faster. “The Wraith will be stomping down here any minute now, looking all bad ass and Marilyn Manson in their too-cool-for-school leather coats and…”

“Hang on a minute, McKay.”

“Get me out! Now!” McKay demanded, slamming an open palm on the clear door. “Really… seriously… now! Teyla should have stayed! You should have made her stay to get us out!”

“We have to head off the probe.” Sheppard glanced to McKay, but returned his attention to the door, itching to follow the others. “If the probe doesn’t reach the gate, there’s a good chance the Wraith won’t know we’re here.”

“This is SO wrong,” McKay muttered. He turned about again, examining the walls of his little room, cringing, and having to turn away before they edged too close to him. “A trap,” he murmured.

“Yeah,” Sheppard stated. “Could be.”

“They set this up to draw us in!”

“Could be it was set to capture the Ancients 10,000 years ago and only caught us by accident.”

“Oh no,” McKay conjectured. “This was just for us.” McKay’s voice was high with anxiety. “Those Tuweep hunters -- want to bet they’re some of those Wraith Groupies? They want us. You… me…” He waved a hand about. “Me especially, but any of us from Atlantis. They want to find out more about Earth and this is their way of capturing us.”

Sheppard blew out a breath, but didn’t deny the comment.

“Those hunters from Tuweep dangled the right carrot in front of us and…” McKay stopped, berating himself silently for going for the bait. “The Wraith are just waiting for that probe. We’re going to get our lives sucked right out of us, along with the knowledge of how to find Earth.”

“Okay, I get it,” Sheppard cut him off before he went on too long.

But McKay had already taken off on another tangent. “How did they get the Ancient technology to do this? It makes no sense!” And McKay paused, his brow furrowing as if a thought hurt him. His voice was almost calm as he asked, “The panel…what do you see?”

Sheppard, still annoyed that he was unable to follow Ronon and Teyla, frowned as he peered within. “No crystals,” he commented, surprised by this fact. Shouldn’t there always be crystals? He reached to get a better idea of what he was looking at. “Looks strange.”

“Strange?” McKay voiced.

“You know, ‘hinky’.”

McKay watched as Sheppard extended a finger to poke the interior of the panel. Quick as a shot, Rodney snapped, “Stop!” His voice reflected back at him, sounding even louder.

Sheppard froze, and turned toward McKay, lifting an eyebrow in question.

“Does it look like…? does it remind you of…?”

Sheppard turned his head toward the strange substance within the control panel, it looked almost like sinews, like some sort of fleshy material. Sheppard drew back and groaned out, “Wraith technology!”

CHAPTER 4: CRACKLE

Teyla tore through the woods, following the path blazed by Ronon. From time to time she could hear him firing at the probe, but she couldn’t catch sight of him. She strove onward, downward, into the valley. Branches cut across her arms, crackling as she pushed past them.

They had to stop it – they had to down the probe before it made its way to the Ring of the Ancients, for certainly that’s where it was heading. They were coursing through the valley, following the curve of the hill, angling their way back toward the Gate.

She couldn’t understand it. Why would the Wraith leave a probe on this empty planet? Had the creatures set up the device specifically to be released when the room was opened?

But it hadn’t activated when the room was opened – only after it had closed down – like a trap.

She furrowed her brow, leaping in an almost gazelle-like fashion over a downed log. She landed, crunching on the forest floor and ran again.

It came to her. The doorway, cleared from debris -- the room, recently cleaned. Someone had been in that room before them, someone who’d tracked in dirt just as they had. Someone had altered the room and then hid that fact.

It was a trap. They’d been tricked into coming here, enticed by the possibility of getting their hands on Ancient technology.

She slid to a stop, the layer of leaves under her feet making her almost take a tumble. She grasped hold of the nearest tree and spun about. Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay – they were still in that room. The door would not open.

Her hand rose to activate her radio as she panted for breath, to contact Sheppard and let him know. But they would already have figured that out, wouldn’t they? So she should contact Ronon and let him know that the probe needed to be deactivated before it reached the Gate – but he was already doing that.

So she pushed off the tree and continued running – to catch up to Ronon – to help him with the task. Her time was better spent in motion, because if they failed to stop the probe, then their friends were as good as dead.   
\--------------------  
“Colonel,” Rodney anxiously called, his voice muffled slightly by the door. He closed his eyes for a second as he tried to imagine a huge empty space.

Sheppard stepped away from the panel, gripping his weapon as he glared at the technology that didn’t seem to ‘fit’ in the Ancient ruin.

“Get me out of here!” McKay shouted, his voice a little more frantic than it should have been. He swallowed, realizing his timbre. He made a concerted effort to lower his voice, and smooth out his expression without much luck. “Get me out so that I can get a look at it.”

Sheppard made his way over to the glassed-off alcove and stared at McKay a moment. The scientist was obviously distressed, his eyes a little too wide – his hands unable to rest.

Aw crap, John thought. Damn damn damn! How could he have forgotten? He kept his voice calm as he stated, “Don’t freak out, McKay.”

A haughty look came over the astrophysicist. “I am not freaking out,” he said tightly. “The sooner you get me out of here, the sooner you’ll see me not freak out.”

“You’ll be okay,” Sheppard assured. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Afraid? Well,” McKay ticked off on his fingers. “There’s the Wraith for one. There’s that wretched jenfruit for another.”

Sheppard nodded, displaying a calm exterior. “McKay, you can get through this.”

“Of course I can,” Rodney shot back, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is nothing. Anyone can handle standing in a tiny little box, right? This is… nothing. No reason to get upset. I’m not upset.” And he winced, knowing his voice was rising.

“You’ll make it.”

“Oh, don’t patronize me,” McKay grumbled. “I know exactly how ridiculous I seem. Go ahead, get your laughing out of the way now.”

“I’m not laughing.”

McKay glanced at Sheppard as if to verify this was true. He was met only with a firm and friendly look. “I…” McKay started, finding he had to lick his lips before continuing, “I’d open it up myself. It’s just that there are no controls in this alcove, so you’re the one who’s going to have to do it.”

“You sure there’s nothing in there?”

“Yes, I am sure.”

“Because, maybe there’s a secret panel or something you missed.”

“No,” McKay bit off. “Unlike some, I know exactly what I am looking for and there is NOTHING here!”

“Wouldn’t hurt to look again,” Sheppard suggested, keeping his voice even.

Rolling his eyes expansively McKay grumbled, “Oh yes, sure. They’re going to rig this place up to trap someone in this incredibly small box, but… oh… hey! Why don’t we leave the key right in plain sight? No! There is nothing here. I have looked!”

Sheppard watched the expressions that flitted over McKay’s face. The man was obviously worked up – the red face was a giveaway. What the hell was he doing poking around in that alcove if he was so frightened to be in tight places?

“So you’d better get me out of here RIGHT NOW!” McKay’s voice had a crackle to it, even through the transparent door. “You get me out of here,” he gestured with both hands towards his feet. “And I’ll get us both out of there!” and he pointed toward the main entrance.

“Sounds like a deal.”

“So get moving!”

“I’ll get you out in a sec,” Sheppard promised, knowing that there would be far more than a second or two involved. “Let me check on the others.”

“Right, yes, let’s check on the others… sure,” McKay grumbled, turning about again. Miserable, he pressed one hand to his forehead as Sheppard called over the radio to the others.

Teyla’s voice came over the com, huffing as she ran, “Colonel. This is a trap!” 

McKay threw his hands into the air. “Great! Great! Now she tells us.”

“We figured that,” Sheppard told her.

“Have you been able… to free yourselves… from the room?”

“Not as yet.”

“NO!” McKay interrupted. “No, we are still in here! Still inside this trap and…”

“Have you caught up to the probe yet,” Sheppard called in, signaling to McKay to quiet down. The doctor sneered, but clamped his mouth shut.

“Not yet,” Teyla responded, panting. They could hear the crackle of foliage as she tore through the trees. “I have not yet caught up to … Ronon. But… he is not far ahead of me.”

“Will you get it before it reaches the Gate?”

There was a pause, and the two men waited – McKay pressed both hands against the glass as he stared at the colonel.

“We will do … everything we can,” Teyla finally responded.

“You understand what will happen if you don’t?”

“I understand, Colonel.”

“Good. Sheppard out,” John stated, ending the transmission and looking again to McKay.

The man looked absolutely wretched, his hands scrunched up on the door, his forehead pressed to it, his breath fogging. “Are you going to get me out now?” he asked, harshly.

“Yup,” Sheppard replied, giving the doorway a good once over. “Got to be a way to release it somewhere.”

“It’s just that…” McKay started. “I have a little bit of claustrophobia is all. You know… small spaces…” He lifted one hand from the door to let it land on the wall to his left and put the other to the wall on his right. His elbows remained bent. “So, if you could… get on with it… you know…” He swallowed thickly. “Because,” he continued, “Sooner you do… the sooner we can get out… and help the others with deactivating that probe.”

“Yeah,” Sheppard responded. His gaze tracked along the surface surrounding the door, and then he smacked the wall in the same general area where he’d found the last panel. He frowned as nothing opened to him. He tried the other side to no avail.

McKay watched, trying not to look upset.

Frowning, Sheppard slapped the wall again, without luck.

McKay groaned miserably, “Of course they weren’t going to make this easy.”

John shrugged. “I’m still looking. Give me a chance, okay?”

“They must have overridden the release mechanisms.” McKay threw back his head. “I am so screwed!” he whined.

“Hang on. I’m still working,” Sheppard returned, searching for any sign of a panel, finding nothing. He moved over a few feet to the next door and tried the same maneuvers, without result.

McKay watched him, his head pressed to the glass. “Wish you were in here.”

“Yeah, wouldn’t it be a bit tight?”

“No, Mr. Smartypants,” McKay shot back. “I mean, if you were in here and I was out there, I’d have the doors open in an instant and we’d be out of here.”

Sheppard grimaced and stepped back, unable to find anything that might trigger the release. “Well, you just have to figure out how to do it from in there. That massive brain of yours should be up to the challenge.”

A snap of the fingers and McKay pointed to the main panel in the room. “It must be controlled from the main panel.” He pointed. “Up there.”

“Roger,” Sheppard responded and turned, taking the quick steps to get behind the panel.

“The buttons in a circle, do you see them?” McKay said, illustrating the general idea of a circle by drawing one with his finger.

“Yup,” Sheppard said, finding the buttons that McKay had indicated earlier. “They’re illuminated now,” he stated.

McKay looked a little worried. “They are?”

“So are all the planet buttons.”

“Okay, okay,” McKay nodded processing this new information.

“Now, I just press the button that corresponds to the room you are in?”

McKay responded, “No! No, do NOT do that!” He let out an anxious breath.

Sheppard held out his hands, showing that they were nowhere near the panel.

“You don’t want to accidentally transport me to one of those planets, do you?”

“Well…” Sheppard let the word draw out as if he had some other ideas. “Then again, it might be better than being trapped in there.”

“Oh, and ending up on an unknown planet is better?” Rodney paused and nodded and added, “Okay, so maybe that’s not a bad idea. I mean, if worse comes to worst, but we try something else first, okay? I mean, I don’t want to end up on a planet with a toxic atmosphere or Waterworld or something.” He laughed, trying to sound humorous. “I mean, no big deal if I’m stuck in here for a little bit, right?”

“I’m working on it, McKay,” Sheppard insisted.

“And anyway, you shouldn’t just go pushing buttons. The Wraith have altered the technology in the door mechanism, so we can only begin to imagine what they’ve done to the rest of the systems.” McKay rubbed a hand at his brow. “Who knows what it’d do to me. Okay, Colonel, let’s just take that idea off the table.”

“So, what do I do?” John asked.

McKay stood still a moment, opening his eyes slowly to squint at the walls around him. “It isn’t getting smaller in here, is it?” he asked quietly. “Because I wouldn’t put it beyond them to put ‘masher’ doors in here.”

Standing behind the control panel, Sheppard watched his friend. “It isn’t any smaller, McKay,” he uttered evenly. “You know that,” he spoke the words concisely, clearly, almost kindly -- hoping that Rodney listened.

“I know…I know… irrational… I know…” McKay replied, his voice low and almost swallowed up behind the wall. “I just… you know.”

“I know,” Sheppard responded. “Now, tell me what I need to do.”

McKay nodded, took a deep breath, and got to business.  
\--------------------  
Ronon ran, keeping an eye on the probe that bobbled just ahead of him. It seemed to have no difficulties with the trees, easily finding its way, following the creek. Ronon rushed after it, splashing through the water as he crossed over the steam and then ran up the steep bank and down again.

The device was maddening. As soon as he felt he could get a clear shot of it, it turned again sharply. He hated probes. He hated the Wraith, but he could understand them. He knew how they thought, how they moved, how they plotted. Probes were a different story altogether. They didn’t move the way natural things should – they float in the air! And they were damn fast – never tiring.

As Ronon forced himself onward. Water soaked his boots. His damp pant-legs clung to his legs, making movement less fluid. But the discomforts only made him more determined to catch the damn thing. He would not let it reach its destination.

He raised his arm, firing as he ran. The silver sphere shot upward, dove toward the left and spun, evading him. Little lights illuminated along its surface, meaning nothing to the Satedan.

Snarling, he burst forward, not about to let it best him. It went up, and up, then suddenly down and to the right to pivot and come back up again -- he examined the complicated dance. He watched it, his concentration more on the floating sphere than on the ground before him. His legs ran on, almost without a thought from him. His body leaned as he turned. He leapt when he had to. He ducked. He adjusted, keeping his gaze upward, studying the thing that he hated.

Machines – damn machines. He scowled, watching it dive and spin to the left, swoop down and up.

He was aware of pursuit. He could hear the footfalls, the splashing, the fluttering of foliage behind him. Teyla was apparently catching up on him. He knew this only in the vaguest sense – as something he should be aware of, but a fact that wasn’t necessary to him at the moment. Only the probe mattered – the probe and its destruction.

It bobbed upward, dipped toward the left and spun. He raised his weapon as he burst suddenly through the trees, and the abandoned town came into view. In the distance, at the end of the street, half-hidden in the totem poles, the Gate awaited. Ronon knew this without even looking. He raised his weapon again as it went up, and up, then suddenly down. He aimed just to the right and fired.

He grinned toothily as the thing played right into him. It exploded in a crackle of burned circuitry. The particles came down, littering the area in specks of metal. Coming to a stop, he let out a whoop, just as Teyla came out of the tree line, tearing toward him.

“Got it!” he announced triumphantly. “Got it!”

He expected Teyla to smile and congratulate him, but instead, her troubled gaze was on the Gate that stood at the end of the street. He turned, and swore in frustration as the complete dialing sequence took hold and the wormhole engaged with a whoosh.

CHAPTER 5: POP   
John crouched below the panel, gazing up in distrust and growing alarm. “Ah,” he started. “You’re not going to like this.”  
“What? What?” McKay called.  
Sheppard glanced around the panel, sighting McKay within his little glass booth. The scientist wrung his hands, and changed his balance from one foot to another. With an unhappy expression, John commented, “All I’m seeing is Wraith bits.”  
“Wraith bits?” McKay returned. “Is that your official terminology for a certain type of Wraith Technology, because if it is, ‘bits’…” He held out his hands as if to encompass the word, “…is not the sort of precision I was hoping for. I need a little more than that if we’re ever going to get out of here!”  
“I saw an exhibit in Germany,” Sheppard stated once he had an opening.  
“Germany? Yeah, okay.”  
“This guy thought it was crazy cool to take cadavers and plasticize them. He’d take these bodies – already dead.”  
“One would hope…”  
“Well yeah, naturally.”  
“Naturally? Naturally dead?”  
“What? I don’t know. Look, he’d take these bodies and peel off their skin, and cut them down to display just their tendons or their blood vessels or organs, and then he’d set them up like gutless mannequins. They’d be playing chess, basketball, or riding a horse, or …”  
“Gunther von Hagens,” McKay spouted off, cutting him off. “He developed a method of replacing the liquids from the bodies with a polymer, creating a cadaver that he could pose in garish scenarios. Had a traveling show called ‘Body Worlds’. He called it ‘art’. I called it ‘morbid’ – quite literally in fact.”  
“Why would you know that?” Sheppard asked incredulously.  
“I have been known to read!” McKay snapped back. “Plus there’s the Discovery Channel. And why would you even want to go to the exhibit?”  
“Killing time. Plus, I wanted to see what they had in the gift shop. You know, desiccated body key-chains, posters, T-shirts, bobble-heads…”  
McKay paused, looking intrigued. “Did they? You know…” he waggled a hand, “…have those sorts of things?”  
Sheppard smiled. “I bought a magnet – half a head. It was pretty cool, but someone swiped it before I shipped out.”  
McKay shook his head abruptly. “What does this have to do with anything?” he asked, irritated.  
Sheppard’s attention returned to the underside of the panel. “This stuff kinda looks like his stuff.”  
“What? It looks like flesh?”  
“Well,” Sheppard drawled. “It looks like that same stuff that’s all over their Hive ships.”  
“Wraith,” McKay muttered. He gazed through the door at the footprints that ran all over the floor now. “They must have been in here and would have left footprints or something. That’s why they had to clean up.” He grimaced, damning himself for not figuring that out sooner.  
“Somehow, I can’t imagine them on their hands and knees with a bucket and a scrub brush,” Sheppard decided.  
The idea made McKay smile a little. “Wearing a little apron,” he continued the image. “With their hair all tied up in a handkerchief like a babushka.”  
“I kinda figure they got those Tuweepers to do it for them,” Sheppard said with a frown, not able to understand how people could ever be in league with those horrid creatures.  
Teyla’s voice suddenly popped over the radio with, “Colonel!”   
“Teyla?” Sheppard responded as he stood. “What happened? Is Dex with you?”  
“They’re okay, right?” McKay asked, somewhat sheepishly. “They’re coming back now, right?”  
“Ronon is with me. We are fine. Ronon was able to destroy the Wraith probe and…”   
“Good goin’, Dex!” Sheppard responded happily. “For that you get to go to the front of the line next time we’re in the mess hall.”  
“Good for him,” McKay groused. “Now they need to head back HERE and get us OUT!”  
“We were unable to stop the probe before the Gate engaged,” Teyla went on, her voice betraying a reluctance to impart this information.  
Closing his eyes, Sheppard tipped back his head. “This just keeps getting better and better,” he mumbled, before keying the radio again. “An outgoing wormhole?”  
“Correct, Colonel,” Teyla replied.  
Ronon’s voice came on next. “I destroyed the probe before the connection was complete.”  
“So… there was no time for the probe to download any data…” McKay surmised.  
“Yeah, that’s kinda good,” Sheppard decided.  
“Yeah,” McKay stated. “Except, what would you do if your favorite probe called home – and left the line open without saying anything?”  
“Are you still trapped?” Teyla asked.  
“Yes!” McKay shouted. “Yes! I am still stuck in this tiny little alcove and …”  
“We’re working on it,” Sheppard returned, he lifted his gaze toward McKay. “We’ll deal with it.”   
Inside the glassed off section, the scientist folded his arms over his chest and gave him the skunk eye.   
“Do we shut down the connection?” Ronon asked.  
“No!” Sheppard quickly returned.  
“I agree,” Teyla’s voice came on the com. “The opening of the wormhole will have alerted the Wraith. They will be waiting on the other side. If we end the connection, they will attempt to dial in. Leaving it open will afford you some time to escape from your situation.”  
“Great,” Sheppard sighed. “Just great.” He glanced to McKay. “We got 38 minutes.”  
\--------------------  
Teyla and Ronon watched the gate, eyeing the pool of blue. “Do we wait here?” Ronon asked over the radio. “We could try to do something with the time we have.”  
“You should get back here immediately,” McKay started to say. “And when I say ‘immediately’, I mean…”  
Sheppard cut him off. “Remain there,” he ordered. “We have no idea if that probe programmed some sort of timing system when it dialed. If the gate closes early, I need to know.”  
Nodding, Teyla responded. “I agree, Colonel.”

“The second the connection is broken, try to dial out before they dial in.”

“We will do so,” Teyla assured.  
“And if things start to happen,” Sheppard continued, sounding tired. “Let us know. Get the hell out of sight. Do what you can to buy us some time. Don’t get hurt.”  
“We will, Colonel,” Teyla replied. “Let us know if there is anything further we can do to help your situation.”

There was a pause, and Teyla and Ronon exchanged a look, knowing that a small argument must have been exchanged on the other side of the connection.

“We can handle it,” Sheppard finally said.

Staunchly, Teyla declared, “I know that Doctor McKay will find a way.”

There was a pause again – undoubtedly more conversation going on.

“You’re giving him a swelled head,” Sheppard declared. “Not that it isn’t big enough already. We got it. Brain Boy will figure it out. From you, I want no heroics, okay? If things start going south, you two better start heading…away. You got it?”

“I understand,” Teyla told him.

“Ronon?”

The Satedan, scowled. “We will stop them,” he concurred.

“Ronon!”

“We’ll do as you ask,” Dex agreed.

“Great. We’ll let you know how it goes on our end,” John finally responded. “Keep us appraised of how you’re doing. Sheppard out.”

Ensuring that his mic had been turned off, Ronon commented, “If the connection is broken and the Wraith dial in before we can dial out, there won’t be much time to get away.” Ronon scowled at the buildings that surrounded them. At least they had some cover that they could use, but the wooden structures couldn’t hold up to any assault.

Teyla nodded. “We wouldn’t be able to get far,” she agreed.

Ronon hefted his weapon. “We’re not letting the Wraith get further than this point,” he declared, pointing with the gun’s muzzle to the ground at his feet. “We’re not letting them reach the others.”

Teyla nodded. There had been no doubt in her mind.

\--------------------

“Okay,” Sheppard said, getting down on his haunches again to stare up at the underside of the panel. “What do we do?”

“How can we do anything?” McKay popped off, his voice quieted by the interposing surface. “This location has been utterly compromised! How the hell am I going to figure out what you’re supposed to do, especially since I can’t see it myself? The Wraith have screwed up all the workings of this site and they know we’re here. It’s only a matter of minutes before they come charging through that doorway, ready turn us into the latest creation by Von Hagens!”

“McKay…”

“Because there’s really NOTHING we can do, is there? Ronon and Teyla weren’t able to stop the probe in time and YOU can’t do anything about the panel,” McKay shouted, his hands moving frantically. “So I’m just going to be stuck here until Bruce the Wraith shows up with his pals to find me here waiting for them – Genius Under Glass. It’s the new craze all over Wraithland.”

“McKay,” Sheppard repeated, his voice like steel. “You’re going to calm down right now,” he ordered. “And tell me what needs to be done. Neither of us is going to get out of here until you do that!”

“Right! Right!” McKay declared, seeming to calm at this order. “Get us out. Good thought.”

Sheppard gestured to the panel. “Any ideas?”

McKay crossed one arm over his chest. He propped an elbow against the arm, and rested a chin on his fist. “Can you see any Ancient Technology under the Wraith bits?”

Sheppard turned his head as he gazed about. “Yeah,” he responded. “I guess. It looks like there are crystals beneath this stuff. Yeah, there are! The Wraith just added their tech right on top of what was already here.”

“Good, good,” McKay replied. “That means we can still figure this out.” He furrowed his brow in concentration. “To the far left, on the edge nearest you, you should see a crystal that is roughly the shape of British Columbia, without the islands.” He flapped one hand in the general direction he’d indicated.

“British Columbia?” Sheppard grumbled. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

Frustrated, McKay muttered, “Why can’t you handle even the SIMPLEST geographic lesson? I swear, you show most of the people in the States a map of the world and they couldn’t even pick out their own country.”

“It looks like California, doesn’t it?”

“No! It does not look like California… it’s… okay, it kinda looks like California, but only in the most basic, insignificant way, and only if you moved a major portion…”

“Found it,” Sheppard interrupted. “What now?”

“Can you remove it? Without interfering with the overlaying tech?”

Sheppard cocked his head, looking at the device with one eye. “I can try. There are strands of the stuff over it. I may be able to maneuver it out without upsetting anything.”

“No upsetting,” McKay murmured, holding his arm close to his body. “Wouldn’t want to do that.”

Sheppard pinched the California-shaped crystal between his forefinger and thumb, and tilted it slowly, trying to get it around the overlaying strands as he eased it from its housing. The problem was, he couldn’t quite manage it – and the consequence of brushing against the Wraith tech was instantaneous.

POP!

The electrical snap sounded from all around him. He shot his head up in time to see McKay jerk and jump, letting out a pain-filled shout. Sheppard yanked his hand away from the crystal, letting it fall back in place.

The trapped scientist crashed violently against one of the walls, looking surprised and… shocked.

“Stop!” Rodney shouted, his voice breaking. “Stop!” He took a second to steady himself and then hopped back, pressing himself against the wall.

Sheppard shot to his feet and crossed the distance that separated them, calling, “McKay!”

Rodney’s eyes were wild. He stood on tiptoe, pressing his arms against the walls as if he might be able to lift himself from the floor. He glanced about, frantic. “Stop! Stop!” he continued to moan.

“I’ve stopped!” Sheppard shouted back. “I’m not even near that thing anymore. What happened?”

McKay didn’t answer, his eyes still searched, as if he hoped to find some sort of exit from his small prison.

“McKay?”

“Shock,” Rodney cried. “Hell of a shock.” His gaze kept moving. “Came from the floor and the walls—mostly the floors, but the walls, too. Made my fillings ring. Don’t do that again. Just, don’t!”

“I won’t,” John assured.

“Seriously!” McKay shouted. “Don’t do that again! The tech must be interfering with the crystals. Don’t touch any of them!”

“I won’t, Rodney!” John reiterated. “I won’t.”

“Could have KILLED me. Oh, God, that was one hell of a shock. One hell of a…” He kept pressing himself into the corner as if he might disappear into it. “Almost got hit by lightning once. Don’t want to have that happen. I don’t … I don’t think I could handle that. Don’t do it again, okay? Okay?”

“Rodney!” Sheppard shouted, pressing his hands against the glass. “Listen to me! Listen to me, would ya? I’m not going to touch that crystal again!”

McKay’s vivid gaze finally met his, and Rodney crumbled a little. “Get me out of here,” he whispered.

“I’m tryin’, buddy,” Sheppard replied, his voice softening. “I’m tryin’.”  
\--------------------

“We should shut it down,” Ronon declared, leaning over Teyla’s shoulder as she stood over the DHD.

The blue puddle yawned beyond them as Teyla shook her head. “We shall not,” she responded as she stood with one hand over the first two symbols of the necessary address.

Ronon replied, “If we’re the ones that shut it down, we’ll be ready for it. We’ll catch them by surprise.”

Teyla turned her head to look at him. “And if they are faster?”

“They’re waiting for the 38 minutes to pass,” Ronon tried to reason.

“The Wraith are fast,” Teyla concluded. “And they will not be surprised.”

“We got a good chance,” Ronon went on. “You’re fast.” And he smiled at her, hoping she took it as a compliment.

She returned her gaze to the Gate. “I do not trust myself to be faster in dialing than the Wraith. Certainly, there is a technician on the other end of this connection. Certainly, he is standing ready, as I am, for the connection to be severed.”

“We can do it now,” Ronon argued. “Got a 50/50 chance either way.”

“Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay have not freed themselves from the outpost. We shall not gamble with their lives.” She lifted her head to fix Ronon with a narrowed gaze. “We will give them as much time as possible. When the connection disengages…” She glanced to her watch, checking the time set on the bezel. “… we shall dial Atlantis and see who will be faster.”

Ronon frowned, and paced away from the DHD, not liking the stillness of their situation. He much preferred the pursuit of the probe to the agonizing wait at the Gate. Would it disengage before the threshold time period? Would it wait the full 38 minutes? The second the wormhole shut, it would be a matter of who could dial faster.

“I don’t like just standing around,” the former runner admitted.

“I agree,” Teyla responded. “You do not like to just stand around.”

Giving a scowl, he gazed up at the poles that stood at the entrance to the Gate. Why had the Wraith left them in place? Certainly it would have been easy to remove the structures. They seemed fairly substantial and would interfere with any flying craft that came through here.

He reached out for one of the poles and shook it. Above, bones rattled. There was something strange – just above eye level. He frowned as he tried to see it.

Teyla glanced at him, but said nothing as she turned back to the Gate.

He grappled with the pole, hugging onto it and pulling himself up an inch or two – and then a foot. Teyla watched him, curious, but holding her tongue. He climbed, relatively quickly, reaching the point he sought. He sucked his teeth a moment and hiked himself up another foot or so. The pole waggled under his weight.

“Ronon,” Teyla spoke softly, watching the pole bow as pressed his feet against the pole, arching like a feline on one side. The pole bent further. The Wraith who’d decorated the top of the structure danced like a puppet.

Ronon pulled down at the bowed pole, releasing his feet to hold on with just his hands and letting his feet dangle. “Watch out.” As he shifted his weight, further stressing the wood.

POP

The wood shattered, sending slivers of wood flying. The top of the pole fell loose, and Ronon dropped a foot or so to the ground. He jumped back as the upper section hit the ground. The bottom of the pole sprung back up, wobbling before it stilled.

Enraged, Teyla shouted, “Why have you done this? They will be able to enter with darts if you remove the poles. These structures were the only things barring their way."

Ronon stepped to the corpse of the Wraith. He kicked it over, looking annoyed. “Wouldn’t have even slowed them down,” Ronon declared. He pointed to where the broken pole now ended. “The pole was fractured, designed to break right there.” He nodded to the others. “They are all purposefully damaged.” Scowling, Ronon declared. “The darts will slice right through.”

At this news, Teyla sighed. They shouldn’t be expecting an attack on the ground, she realized. It would come by air. Unconsciously, she raised her gaze as she stared at the Gate.


	2. Second Half

CHAPTER 6: CRISPY BACON 

Sheppard had moved back toward the console when Teyla contacted them, giving them news that darts could come through the Gate. “Great,” he’d muttered, as he paced about. “Stay with the original plan. Our best bet is if you can dial out before they can get in. If you fail that, get out of there.”

“We will attempt to bring down the darts,” Teyla declared.

“You will hightail it out of the way.”

Teyla added, “The fewer darts there are to contend with, the better chance you and Dr. McKay will stand. We know how they are coming, and they believe we do not have this knowledge. We can use this against them.”

McKay, who had crouched down over his pack, looked up. “Makes sense to me!” he declared.

With a tired groan, Sheppard came back with, “Don’t do anything stupid.” He paused, realizing he hadn’t heard from someone. “Ronon?”

It was Teyla who responded with, “He is busy. He has an idea.”

“What’s he doing?” John probed.

“I am uncertain. I will have him report in when he is available.”

“Great. Have him do that. Sheppard out.” The transmission over, Sheppard paced back toward McKay who was pawing through is pack, searching. “How ‘bout you? You got an idea?” John asked hopefully.

“Yes,” McKay responded, and sighed as he pulled forth what he was looking for – a sandwich.

“We don’t have time. McKay, come on. We need a plan.”

“I get shaky when I’m hungry!” McKay shot back, sitting his rump down as clutched the wrapped parcel. “Been getting rather woozy. I’m hypoglycemic and I don’t think well on an empty stomach.”

Sheppard tsked as he walked about.

“And you got me all worked up at the briefing,” McKay went on.

“About what?”

“Waffles,” McKay returned. “With real maple syrup -- from Quebec, of course.” And his eyes took on a far away quality as he recalled the treat. “Syrup, daintily filling the waffle boxes, with a big blob of butter in the center, all melty and warm.” And he sighed, looking at his sandwich with a little less enthusiasm. “I haven’t had waffles in so long. They’re the best. Especially with a big cup of coffee and crispy-crisp bacon on the side.”

Sheppard smiled, “Yeah, and some sausage, toast with jam, and a big cup of orange juice.” He paused, remembering. “Oh yeah, no orange juice.”

At that thought, before McKay could pull the sandwich clear of the wrapper, he dropped it into his pack as if it had bit him.

“What?” Sheppard asked.

“You think that… citrus stuff is still around? If the Wraiths or their groupies cleaned up this whole place with that ooky jenfruit crap, it must be over everything. I’ve been … touching… the walls.” He rooted through pockets of his pack until he found his packet of wet-wipes. He pulled one loose and proceeded to wipe down his hands, and then pulled another to quickly pat down his face. He used one more for good measure. He glared at Sheppard as he worked. “I can’t be too careful,” he declared. “Jen could kill me even if I just touched one! Bet if I even looked it, my throat would swell up instantly.”

“Hurry it up, Rodney. I can’t do anything until you give me a clue.”

McKay had made his way to his neck, wiping furiously, turning his head to get in at a good angle. “I could die, just like…”

“… That?” Sheppard completed.

But McKay had paused. “That…” he finally stated, “That, looks like a panel.” His demeanor completely changed. He dropped the packet of wipes after the forgotten sandwich and pulled out a new tool and reached toward a section of the wall inside his cubicle.

Oh, yes. John smiled, seeing their release at hand. The colonel realized he never would have seen the panel, right at floor level in the alcove. It had blended seamlessly with the walls, but McKay had somehow differentiated it from the rest of the panels and popped it off in an instant. “That’s a surprise,” Sheppard drawled.

“Well,” McKay responded, trying to sound philosophical. “The panel isn’t where it’s supposed to be.”

“Wait a minute. You said that there wasn’t one in there,” John taunted. “You’d said that there was ‘nothing’ in that alcove.”

“When I said ‘nothing’,” McKay told him, “I meant that they had put nothing where I expected it to be.”

“So, you were wrong.”

“No, not wrong. Just momentarily mistaken, and hello…” He grinned up at Sheppard, opening a hand to point out the exposed panel. “I’m not the only one who missed it. From the looks of it, the Wraith missed it, too.”

“Well, get with it,” Sheppard responded, relieved as hell that he wasn’t the one left responsible for pulling off the trick. He didn’t relish the idea of going back to the control panel and the Wraith tech. The fact that touching the stuff put an electric shock through McKay didn’t sit very well with him either. “Get us out of here.”

“Hmmm, well, yes, I will,” McKay replied, poking about in the lit crystals – so much prettier than the creepy looking stuff under the panel.

As he walked around the room, Sheppard listened to McKay’s self-congratulatory sounds as he puttered about. Was Rodney actually humming as he worked? “We’re running out of time, McKay,” John commented, glancing to his watch.

“That isn’t helping!” McKay shot back.

“I don’t want to be just sitting around waiting while the Wraith are amassing on the other end of that wormhole.”

“I’m going as fast as I can!”

“Doesn’t sound like it.”

“Humph!” And the humming stopped as the scientist seemed to be paying more attention to getting the work done than to telling himself how smart he was. After a minute, he had his data-tablet out, and then wired into the wall.

“You done yet?”

“Working on it! It’s a miracle the computer survived that electric shock. It could have been fried like bacon. I’m just sayin’.”

A nervous glance at this watch, and Sheppard ordered, “Work faster. You have five minutes.”

“Five minutes?” McKay looked up from his data-tablet. “No way has 32 minutes passed already! I’m thinking 15, tops!”

“You have five minutes before I shoot through that door, reach in and strangle you!”

“Great… great… threaten me with violence. It’s the military way.”

“Get it done or we’re both going to die.” Sheppard kept his pacing, watching as McKay connected another line.

“There… this should do it. Hang on.” He poking away at the screen. “Yes, that should do it. I am accessing the command codes for the room and -- got it!” He smiled grandly, pressing a finger to a key as he confidently pointed to his door with his other hand and said, “Ta dah!”

With a whoosh… the door opened. But not the one they’d expected. Sheppard turned, looking over his shoulder to the exit – daylight streamed in. The glass doors on the compartments remained firmly down.

McKay stared through his door to the other. His mouth dropped open to match. For an instant, he said nothing, until finally, he cleared his throat. “Okay, well, that’s good. We needed to open that.” He smiled toward Sheppard. “See, I got that one open.”

“Great,” Sheppard answered, making his way to gaze out into the open. “Can you shut it again?”

“Shut it? But I just opened it!” McKay shot back, running a hand against his forehead. “I’m having trouble working here and I managed that. It’s a pretty impressive accomplishment.”

“Can you shut it and keep it locked down?”

“Yes, but…” McKay sputtered. “What’s the point of that? We need it open so that we can get out, so that we can go home!”

“If the Wraith come, I’d like a little extra barrier between us. Can you lock them out?”

McKay considered this for a moment, and nodded. He yawned as he typed. “It must be on its own circuit, separate from the control panel.” He nodded. “Give me a minute.”

“We don’t have many,” Sheppard told him.

“Yes, let’s remind me of that!” A few more taps and the door came back down. “Locked,” McKay declared triumphantly, blinking at him. “From the inside this time.”

“You can get it back up again when we need it, right?” Sheppard asked caustically.

“Of course.”

“Okay, then get your door open and we’ll be good to go.”

“Swell,” McKay replied and yawned. Resting his head against the narrow wall, he went back to work at the computer.

Sheppard continued making a slow circle in the room, watching the scientist’s movements as he worked. McKay seemed to be moving slower, almost lethargically. “McKay?” he prompted. “This is a bad time to fall asleep.”

“Working – working here,” Rodney responded. “I think I need to drink more water because my eyesight is getting a bit blurry.”

“We don’t have time for you to root around in your pack, McKay.”

“I got one hell of a headache coming on. My eyes feel all sticky. Those are signs of dehydration, aren’t they?” Suddenly his gaze shifted, he seemed to be focusing out into nowhere. “Oh God!” he croaked.

“Rodney?”

“I think… I think…Oh…” He fumbled to find his scanner. He poked at the controls for a moment, and his face crumbled in absolute misery. “I knew it! I knew it!”

“What?!” John strode back toward the little cell.

“Everyone makes fun of the claustrophobic man! Everyone laugh at the guy who’s afraid to get stuck in small spaces! Everyone thinks I’m crazy because I don’t like being in little tiny impossibly small…”

Frustrated, John leaned closer to the glassed in box. “Rodney, now is not the time. Listen, just get that door open and we’ll…”

McKay gaped, looking rather like a fish on a riverbank, as he looked about anxiously. “The oxygen... I... I'm running out.”

\--------------------

“Teyla!” Ronon barked as he rolled a big spool from the doorway of one of the buildings.

Teyla glanced to the sign above the door – mining supplies. “What is that?” she asked as she stood with her hands still over the DHD.

“Cable,” Ronon responded. He leaned to unhook the end of the thick wire from the spool to leave it dangle at the doorway to the office. He kicked the reel and it unspooled as it rolled into the street. Even before it left the walkway and thumped into the street, he’d ducked back through the doorway to emerge with another spool. “Help me with this,” he demanded.

“I cannot leave the DHD,” Teyla told him, watching curiously as he let loose the cable from the second spool and kicked it into the street as well. It rolled further than the first, leaving a line of cable behind. “What are you doing?”

“They trap us. We trap them,” Ronon shouted as he ducked into the office again, and retrieving a third spool in the same way. “Come here,” he called as the cable unwrapped under the force of his boot.

“I cannot.”

“You got a 50/50 chance of dialing faster.”

“Yes,” Teyla agreed.

“Odds might be less though,” Ronon went on, jogging into the street to send the spools further along their course. “Probably less.”

Not wanting to admit it, Teyla told him, “It is worth the try.”

“When I don’t like the odds, I change ‘em,” Dex stated as he moved quickly at his task. “You gonna help me?”

Teyla stood a moment longer at her post, watching Ronon as he brought the spools to the far side of the street, and she left the DHD to join him.

\--------------------

“I’m going to suffocate!” Rodney cried.

“Calm down, Rodney!” Sheppard shouted.

“Calm down, he says,” Rodney whimpered. “I’m going to die from oxygen deprivation and he says calm down. Oh, I’m going to die! It’s not as if I don’t have enough means of getting killed here.” His voice rose as he went on. “First there was that death march. Next, they try to kill me by anaphylactic shock from that horrible, wretched jenfruit. But that’s not enough. No! You almost fried me up like bacon with that good old-fashioned electric shock. Can’t have too many different types of shock, can we? Oh, but then there’s the Wraith. Oh joy, the chance of getting my life forced sucked right out of me.” He demonstrated, clamping a hand to his own chest. “The fact that they’re coming is enough to give any man a heart attack! But no! It won’t be any of those because they’re going to kill me by suffocating me! It’s SO NOT FAIR!”

Sheppard slammed an open palm against the plate. “RODNEY! Focus! You doing nothing but using up air! Find a way to open the door!”

“Find a way? You find it for a change!”

“Rodney! Fix it! Now! Or we’re both going to get killed here.”

“Working on it,” McKay snapped back, and dropped the scanner as he went back to the data-tablet.

Sheppard activated his radio to follow up with the others. “Teyla! What’s going on there?”

He waited, watching McKay work inside the little booth. The scientist was leaned against one wall, hunched, tapping away on the screen.

“Teyla! Ronon!”

Another pause, and finally, Ronon’s brusque voice came over the radio. “We’re busy.”

Closing his eyes in misery, Sheppard went on, “Tell me, someone is at the DHD.”

“We are dealing with it,” Ronon returned.

“Where’s Teyla?”

“Her hands are full at the moment. We’ll get back to you. Gotta go.”

“Ronon!”

And the transmission ended.

“Great! I have a mutiny!” He scrutinized McKay, realizing that he really wasn’t looking good. Leave it to Rodney to get stuck inside an airless box when they needed to get moving. Leave it to him to get himself killed in this horrible pointless way.

They had maybe five minutes before the wormhole collapsed – and he had no idea what Ronon and Teyla were up to now. They had five minutes before Wraith darts came screaming at them, and he doubted that main door would hold them back.

And even if it did, McKay had only so much time before …

Pulling his sidearm, Sheppard took a step back. McKay, seeing the movement, lifted his head. His eyes became alert as he saw the gun. “Colonel?” he called urgently. “What? What’re you doing?”

“Gonna get you out.”

McKay’s eyes grew wider as he watched Sheppard’s stance. “You’re going to shoot the glass? You do realize I am behind it, don’t you? Think of all the flying glass and – the bullet! I mean, I scar very easily! A paper-cut puts me in agony. This is a bad idea! A very bad idea! Test it out somewhere else before you start using me as your guinea pig!”

With a disgusted look, Sheppard aimed the gun at the empty alcove door next to McKay’s, and fired. Instantly, Sheppard jumped, stumbled and swore as the ricochet came back at him and the transparent door glowed a brilliant blue.

“Colonel!” McKay shouted, shuffling to his knees and then his feet, letting the computer drop. He pressed his face against the glass to get a better view. “Sheppard?”

“I’m okay!” Sheppard shot back, irritated as hell as he got to his feet.

“You sure?”

“Yes! Yes, I’m sure, dammit!”

McKay watched him, wide-eyed. “And the door. Any sign that the door was…”

Leaning in, the colonel examined his damage – or rather lack of such. He groaned, and then muttered, “Not a scratch.” There wasn’t even a discoloration where the bullet struck the surface. “It glowed pretty bright for a second when I shot it.”

He looked to McKay, expecting a dejected expression. Instead, McKay looked intrigued.

“The doors are obviously made of an extremely resilient material,” Rodney commented as he ran one hand along the panel. “We need to find out more about it.” He squinted at the stuff. “Smooth, transparent, relatively thin, and stands up to abuse.”

“Yeah, good for us,” Sheppard returned.

But McKay was interested, and when that happened, there was little one could do to stop him as he investigated. He took the scanner and ran it along the length of the door. He smiled a little cockeyed. “Bet it would stand up to just about anything,” he said. “You could probably open up the P90 at this thing and it’d take it. The Wraith stunners would have no effect. Bet you could even fire a… bazooka at it and nothing would happen.”

“Bazooka?”

“Well,” McKay paused, lifting his gaze from the scanner to look at Sheppard. “You know what I mean.” He went back to poking at the scanner. He paused again and snapped his fingers. “I bet this is the material that they’ve were manufacturing on this planet -- mining materials from the various worlds, and taking them here to finish the job. Be a good thing to figure out how they did it. It’d be a useful material to have,” he stated.

Sheppard stood, his gun held at his side as he watched McKay who was lost in his own world. “Okay then, how do I get through it?”

Lifting and dropping one hand, McKay told him, “I have no idea. I don’t think you can.” And after taking one more reading, he added, “It’s nigh on impregnable. Well, I’m sure there's a way to break through it, but it’d certainly kill me, so I don’t see a reason to…” and with those words, his expression dropped, along with the hand that held the scanner. He looked that absolute picture of disconsolation.

This sucked, Sheppard realized, this sucked more than any sucky suck he'd encountered. To sit around doing nothing – to be unable to help. This stillness would kill him as surely as the lack of oxygen would eventually asphyxiate McKay in that little closet.

At that thought, Sheppard turned sharply. “I’m going to try another crystal,” he decided, heading back to the panel.

“No!”

“Listen, McKay, I’m just going to touch one.”

“But…”

“We gotta try it,” Sheppard insisted. "I’m just going to… wiggle it.”

“Did you forget the SHOCK, because I sure as hell didn’t.”

“We have to try it. Using that control panel is our best bet at getting you out.”

“But it’s been rigged! And you don’t know what it was like…” he whimpered.

Sheppard held out his hands in a placating gesture. “I’ll be careful, real slow. I’ll let go if there’s any trouble.” They needed more options, and standing around wasn’t fixing anything.

“Not a good idea! Remember? Crispy Bacon!”

“Canadian bacon?”

“Oh, thank you for that!” McKay snapped.

But Sheppard was already at the panel, gazing up under it at the gooey, fleshy, ruined underside. “I see one in here that I can get out, I think. Not a whole lot of stuff around it. It’s kinda shaped like Nevada -- if Las Vegas was in the north.”

“That’s…” McKay shook his head miserably. “That one is probably part of the lighting array. It’s a redundant part and won’t affect anything if you take it out.”

“Perfect for a test.”

“Really, this is NOT a good idea!” McKay pressed his hands against the door, as if he could shove his way through. “Are you even listening to me? Not good!”

“I’m just going to ease it forward a bit. I’m going to let go as soon as…”

“This is my LIFE you’re messing around with!” McKay shouted.

Frustrated, Sheppard scowled. “I know! And if we don’t figure something out, you’re going to suffocate, and then what am I going to do?” He waited, his hand above the crystal, waiting for McKay.

With a pained look, Rodney gave a little nod, and John put his hand on the crystal. Slowly, he pulled it back, sure that he could free it of the network of crap. It was almost clear to begin with. I can do this, I can do this, he chanted to himself -- He was wrong.

ZAP!

And another high-pitched shout, and McKay was trying to cram himself into the back corner of the cubicle again. “I told you!” he cried. “I told you!”

John felt the blood leave his face. Shit!

“You did that on purpose!” McKay accused.

“I’m trying to get you out!”

“Well, that didn’t work, did it?” McKay’s voice quivered with panic, as he shook from the latest assault. “Let’s put that in the Listen to McKay when he says, 'don’t do it again’ file and LEAVE IT ALONE!”

John paced away, unable to look at McKay, feeling guilty as hell for only increasing his misery. He had to get his friend out of there. Only one person could do that job, and he was currently trapped in a little glassed- in box. Sheppard swallowed, and steeled himself, taking a breath before he turned to face the man.

McKay crumbled back into one corner of the box and picked up his computer. “If you quit shocking me, I’ll keep working on this, thank you very much!” McKay regarded Sheppard for a moment before he continued his work. Then, the only sounds in the room was the muffled tapping on the data-tablet and Rodney’s panting breaths.

Damn it, Rodney, I’m sorry, Sheppard thought, roughly running a hand through his hair as he paced, wishing there was anything he could do.

 

CHAPTER 7: HASH BROWNS 

Teyla made one final tug on the knot of twisted cable as she clung from the balcony. At a familiar sound, she looked up to see the wormhole disengage and felt her stomach twist a little.

“Run!” Ronon shouted from across the street. Taking a second to ensure that the cable was as tight and secure as it could be, she jumped from her perch on the side of the building, just as Ronon dropped from the façade of the building that faced hers. They ran, ducking up the street as Gate began to dial in.

The Wraith were fast, Teyla confirmed as she ran. They were faster at dialing than she could have duplicated. Any doubts she had regarding their decision had faded as her feet ate up the ground, tearing down the road and out of the way. She ran beside Ronon reaching the last building in the row as the final chevrons engaged.

Ronon smashed down a door and they dove into the empty store. The sequence completed, and with a whoosh, a new wormhole formed

Hidden, Teyla looked out to face what they had constructed. When she gazed toward Ronon, she saw a self-satisfied grin. It would work, she decided. “Colonel,” she called breathlessly into her radio. “They are coming and we are ready.”

“Damn it!” their commander responded. “Do what you can to stop them! Just… you know, try to stay safe. That’s all I’m askin’.”

“We’re on it,” Ronon answered for her, just as the first dart came screaming through the opening. It didn’t get far.

The pointy, terrifying flying machine, as expected, crashed through the remaining breakaway poles, throwing them helter-skelter, blocking the pilot’s vision for a few seconds. He had no chance to see the cables stretched across the street in a crisscross pattern, no time to change his course, no time to swerve. The dart slammed full speed into the wires, and was instantly julienned.

The dart was sliced and diced like hash browns. Rent metal screamed. The strained cables exploded in a terrifying shriek, tearing apart the framework of the buildings that had anchored them, ripping the quickly applied knots. The violence vibrated through to the building Ronon and Teyla hunkered in, sending down decades of dust.

Hunks of dart, Wraith, storefronts and flailing cables burst everywhere – and directly into the path of the dart that followed on the coattails of the first. The second dart collided in the flying wreckage, flinging the dart upward just as the third came through. 

The third pilot vainly attempted to avoid the chaos, angling to the left, only to plow into the ruins of the buildings opposite Ronon and Teyla. The dart shrieked, smashing through one building and then the next, and continuing forward, tearing apart wooden walls, floors and furniture, ripping off bits of itself, to exit finally, halfway down the street and plow into the ground with earthshaking force and an ear-ringing explosion.

The fourth dart to enter the catastrophe came directly behind the third and chose the opposite course of the proceeding craft. It immediately steered right and into the rest of the buildings. The pilot tried to escape the calamity, smashing through roofs to street-level, skimming the first building, to remain airborne for a moment or so as it cruised below the balconies, taking out support beams with a ‘chunk…chunk… chunk’ as it rode daringly above the wooden walkway. Behind it, balconies and upper floors collapsed, barely avoiding the escaping dart -- and sending Teyla and Ronon running for their lives.

The last dart almost made it through, but the wreckage of the second dart had reached the apex of its ascent and came screaming down through the woodwork of the little string of building, smashing through the balconies and obliterating the fourth dart below in a ground shaking explosion.

Within a few second of ear-shattering madness, the gyrations of the out-of-control craft had finished. A dozen buildings were razed, leaving only a smashed heap of metal, the creak of abused wood, thrashing wires, and an acrid smell. And, for a moment, it was quiet.

A rustle from the forest, and Ronon stood, stepping clear of the foliage. He smiled from ear to ear to see the terror he had wrought. “Always wanted to try that.” He glanced to Teyla and saw her smile as well.

“That was,” she paused, almost theatrically, before she completed with, “Impressive.”

“Well,” he said, heading toward the smoking ruin. “Better check to make sure they're all dead.”

Teyla nodded, following. "We'd best hurry. They will come on foot now,” she reminded, keeping her P90 ready.

“After this?” Ronon responded. “Won’t be a problem.”

\--------------------

“The darts?” John asked anxiously.

“Dispatched,” Teyla responded.

Sheppard glanced to Rodney in surprise, but the scientist was busy at his computer and probably didn’t hear. “How?”

“Cut them up into little bits,” Ronon explained.

”Okay, you’re gonna have to tell me a bit more here,” Sheppard responded, frustrated.

”There is no time to explain it all,” Teyla responded. “It was extraordinary.”

“They didn’t know what hit ‘em,” Ronon added.

Sheppard asked, “And has the wormhole shut down?” He wearily leaned against one wall of the room.

“No,” Teyla responded. “It has remained open.”

“They’re probably starting to wonder why no one ever calls home,” Sheppard conjectured with a sigh. After a thought, he asked, “Teyla, do you think they can communicate mentally through the wormhole? You know, they might have been able to get off an, ‘oh shit’.”

“It is believed they cannot,” Teyla responded.

“Well, that’s some good news.”

“Have you been able to release the doors?” Teyla inquired, hesitantly.

“Rodney’s working on it,” Sheppard returned, watching as McKay continued to poke about with his computer.

McKay paused, his hand forming into a spider over the board. Then, he shook his head in irritation and tried again.

“He’ll get it,” John declared.

There was a pause, and Ronon announced, “They're coming through.”

Sheppard tightened his grip on his P90. “How many?”

Teyla stated in a whisper, “I have seen seven emerge -- five drones and two male. The connection has closed behind them.” Shots were fired. “They have taken refuge in the wreckage of the darts.” Another pause and more shots. “We are having difficulty.”

“Fall back,” Sheppard ordered.

After a hesitation, Ronon stated, “I have an idea.”

“What? What are you guys doing?”

Another moment, and he replied with, “Tell you later.”

Annoyed with the response, John realized that they were too damn busy to explain. It didn’t improve his frustration. He turned to the alcove to find Rodney slumped further. McKay’s eyes were open, but the lids were drooping dangerously, as he pecked listlessly at his computer. Then he stilled, his hands just coming to an unnatural rest.

John felt his heart constrict, and forcefully, he kicked against the door just beside McKay’s head. “Wake up!” he called sharply.

Rodney startled, his head coming up abruptly. For a second or two he was lost, until he seemed to remember and glared at Sheppard. “Hell of a way…”

“No time for naps!” Sheppard told him.

“Nap, well yes, I could definitely use one about now,” he griped, rubbing his forehead. “That and some OXYGEN! And a little room," he said with a sad whine. "All I ask is a little more room – and oxygen.”

“McKay, you can’t stop now. Please, for Christ’s sake.”

“Air – that’s all I’m askin’.” Rodney went back to prodding at the display, muttering under his breath as he drew in air that was getting thinner. His brow furrowed as his eyes fastened on the readouts.

Sheppard stared at the control panel. “Wish we could use the transporter,” he mumbled.

“Well, if wishes were horses, beggars would get blown up in a giant fireball and rendered into little bite-sized bits when it all went to hell,” McKay grumbled. “For all we know, matter that’s transported through this thing will end up as little blobs of jam at the other end. I trust that control panel about as far as I can spit – which – pathetically – isn’t very far. But this…” and he cocked his head at the data-tablet’s display. “This is something I can put my faith behind.”

Sheppard peered through the transparent door at him, seeing the display. “You brought up the main control panel,” he commented.

“Well, yes,” McKay said with a proud smile, displaying the readout for Sheppard. On the display was an exact replica of the buttons and symbols on the control console. “I’ve tapped into their remote system. I was thinking that if I could mimic the control console through this connection, I could avoid what the Wraith installed in the real console to thwart us.”

“Here’s to no thwarting!” Sheppard grinned widely. “That’s great news, McKay. Good dog, you deserve a biscuit.”

The satisfied look fell, as McKay admitted, “It’s just that… I can’t get it to work. See?” He pointed at the dim display. “It’s inactive.” He poked, and poked again, his hand opening and clenching in frustration. “No good.”

“You’ll get it,” Sheppard assured. “You got that far. The rest is a piece of cake.”

“Yeah, cake,” McKay muttered. He pressed a hand to his forehead, wincing. “I could use some cake right now. Cake would be nice. Or maybe something potato-y, like French fries, or tater tots or…” But his attention stayed on the screen and he kept working. "... twice baked potatoes, chips, crisps -- yeah, Pringles Cheez-ums."

Frustrated as hell, Sheppard paced. He kicked at the side of one of the console, and smacked an open palm against a wall. Damn it all to hell! At that moment, Ronon and Teyla were being chased down by Wraith while Rodney was slowly and surely suffocating before his eyes and talking listlessly of potato products.

John had never felt so helpless before. He glared at the control panels, furious as hell at the sons-of-bitches who had done this.

They needed some sort of plan. Any old plan would do.

\--------------------

Teyla and Ronon ran, climbing in elevation, using the cover of trees to hide them, trying to get to higher ground – above their adversaries. Ronon turned, blasting away at their pursuers. The Wraith followed, seemingly unable to tire, intent on only one thing – destroying them.

Ronon kept moving, Teyla beside him. They tore over the ground, smashing down the heather-like weeds that grew everywhere. The tenacious growth took the abuse, showing them what true obstinacy was by continuing to cling to the rocks in spite of them.

He knew that they’d be out of the trees soon and onto the rocky cap of the hill – exposed. He glanced to the Athosian again, catching her gaze as they ran. He wanted to impart confidence.

The look that Teyla returned to him reflected her faith in him. He nodded as he ran. This would work, he promised himself, promised her, promised Sheppard and McKay. It had worked before – why not again?

Normally, the warrior wouldn’t have considered this route – the hill was rocky and exposed at its top – the valley, on the other hand, was wooded, provided better cover, was easier terrain to cover in a hurry. But, Ronon’s plan wasn’t to return to the others just yet. He wasn’t about to lead the predators to the door of their trapped companions.

They kept moving – ducking and dodging – ignoring the shadows that edged their vision. Things seemed to come at them – diving out of the darkness – but both had learned long ago that the Wraith played tricks. To Ronon, they were little more than glimpses of darkness -- easily ignored.

The Wraith would not reach their friends – of that Ronon was certain. If this idea didn’t work, he would die to keep the creatures from coming any closer to that little hidden outpost. There was no doubt that Teyla would do the same.

Teyla reached a boulder and started to scramble over it. Ronon paused, covering her until her back was no longer exposed. When she turned to face him, he nodded and followed, slinging his weapon into his holster to use his hands. He turned his back on his foe. There was a time when he never would have performed such a vulnerable move – but he knew Teyla would not fail him. She fired twice into the woodland as he hoisted himself up – and then they were running again.

\-------------------- 

 

“Damn it,” McKay swore. “It’s countering me as soon as I nearly get it.” His head bobbed tiredly. “It’s just not fair!”

“Can the Wraith tech learn what you’re up to and stop you from opening the door?” Sheppard asked and glanced beneath the console at the creepy crap that covered the underside. It looked far too much like tendons and flesh.

McKay drew in another breath and laid a hand over his eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe something is just blocking me. If I could just power down the control panel, but… I -- I just can’t think straight anymore. I …” and he paused to breathe deeply again, rubbing his temples distractedly. “I don’t know.” And he pulled his hand from his pale face, looking frightened and unsure. “I think… I’m .. I’m really running out of oxygen.”

“You still got time,” Sheppard reminded him, making a point to not look at his watch.

Rodney let the computer rest in his lap as he fumbled in his pack, frantic until he found his scanner. Clumsily, he pulled it free and panted through his teeth as he examined the readings. Without saying anything he let the device fall back into his pack. For a moment he simply breathed, his eyes seeking, as if following the thoughts in his mind. “I hate small places,” he squeaked out as he rearranged the data-tablet. “I’ve always hated small places. Got a damn fine reason for it now.”

Sheppard encouraged, “You’ll find a way to get out of there. We can deal with your psychosis later.”

With a nod, Rodney continued his determined poking away.

Sheppard stood on the other side of the door, leaning one shoulder against it. “You’ll get it,” he said confidently. He watched Rodney’s movements, usually so fluid and frenetic, now reduced to subdued jabbing at the display as his whole body rocked with the effort of breathing. Sheppard closed his eyes for a moment in misery.

How could this be happening? Was he just supposed to stand around doing nothing as his teammates were taken from him?

Sheppard keyed his radio again. “Teyla? Ronon?”

Ronon answered, “We’re kinda busy.”

“What’s happening? Where’s Teyla?”

“She’s with me. Think she lost her earpiece.” A Wraith stunner went off near Ronon’s position. “Gotta move!”

“Ronon! What’s the plan?”

“Right now?” Further sound of gunfire and stunners. “Kill ‘em. Don’t let them kill us.”

Sheppard listened to the sound of running, their heavy breathing as they raced.

“Keep me informed,” Sheppard commanded, and turned off the mic, hoping that Ronon’s plan worked – whatever the hell it was. His gaze remained on McKay, who struggled.

“You’ll find a way,” Sheppard assured softly, putting his faith in that statement.

 

CHAPTER 8: SCRAMBLED 

They were in the open now, leaving the trees behind. Too exposed – not good. They ducked behind rocks as they moved, but it wasn’t good. Ronon felt his skin tingle with the apprehension that the Wraith would catch them here. A stunner was fired, close to hitting him. Another zinged past Teyla, but she’d managed to throw herself behind the safety of boulder in time. She stumbled, trampling more heather weeds that only irately sprang back up after her assault. She got to her feet – knees bloody -- and kept moving.

They ran on, climbing and jumping and stretching to get over the next series of boulders.

Ronon let himself smile when he finally saw what they were after – he changed his path, leaving even the safety of the scattered boulders, to run straight up the open chute, with Teyla right behind him. They scrambled over the loose rock. It scattered under their feet. Another stunner was fired, and Ronon avoided a strike only because one leg almost went out from under him in the gravel.

And in a matter of a few moments they were there – the bottom of the overhang. They glanced to one another, and the Satedan gave the Athosian a knowing grin, before they both turned in opposite directions, ducked out of sight just beyond the overhang.

\--------------------

Sheppard fingered his radio, wanting to contact the others again, but knowing they were too damn busy at the moment – fighting for their lives. He wished he could be with them.

And, God help him, he wished he wasn’t in this room. This stillness was killing him. To know that two of his people were running for their lives, while the third – the third was utterly stopped – and running out of time.

John couldn’t bear it to watch Rodney die like this. He’d rather be anywhere. He wasn’t doing Rodney any good being on the outside. God, all he’d managed to do so far was hurt him. If McKay was out here, the door would have been long open and they’d be out there – helping Ronon and Teyla.

“Wonder what they’re doing,” John said out loud.

"Who?"

"Ronon and Teyla," Sheppard responded, a little surprised that he had to supply that information.

“Running, fighting, killing and hopefully not getting killed,” Rodney responded lightly. As his hands seemed to hesitate over the data-tablet. He frowned, confused for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, and wiped at his forehead.

“Getting somewhere?” Sheppard asked.

“Me?”

“Yes, you!”

“Somewhere, nowhere, anywhere…”

Sheppard couldn’t contact the others, fearing that they might be holed up somewhere where silence was needed. No, he wouldn’t give them away. “I should be there,” he said quietly. His hand brushed at the P90, as he itched to get to work.

He made another circuit of the room. He felt tighter, almost as if the Wraith were at the doorstep. He glanced toward the door leading to the outside, and suddenly, it whisked open again. 

Surprised, the weapon snapped into his hands and he crouched, ready to attack, aiming into daylight as fresh air streamed in. It took a moment for his heart to quiet.

Nothing entered except for sunshine and a soft breeze.

Behind him McKay laughed out loud.

A smile spread over John’s face at that sound. He did it! “About time!” Sheppard called happily, turning back to face McKay. His expression fell, as he found the glass partition still firmly in place, locking in the inhabitant of the alcove. “McKay?” he growled.

McKay sat with the computer clasped limply. “Can’t… get it…” he admitted resignedly, his voice muffled. “Blocked. If… if I could… think … clearly… I…” And he paused, and actually snickered. “Feels like my brains are… scrambled. Rather silly, isn’t it?”

“Shut the main door!” Sheppard snapped pointing to the outer doorway. “What the hell are you thinking? Shut it down! Lock it!”

“Shut it, yeah. Lock down!” McKay answered, tittering as if this was a joke. “You shut it.”

“This is the wrong time for…”

“Wrong time, yeah, wrong. It’s all wrong.” And McKay laughed again, but when he looked up to John, his eyes were troubled, frightened. “It’s all wrong,” he repeated as he lifted one hand and let it fall in a pointless gesture. “God, my head hurts.”

John felt himself grow colder in spite of the sunlight. Crap… aw crap!

“Because, I’m in here,” McKay tried to stifle his giggle. “And you’re out there, and you can’t go because of me.” He grimaced, breathing unevenly with suppressed laughter. But when he looked up at Sheppard, he seemed to be pleading for something.

Hypoxia. Any pilot was aware of that danger, feared it – it was the thing of nightmares. Oh damn, McKay. Sheppard stiffened, wishing there was anything he could do. All he could manage was to place one hand against the door. Hypoxia. He didn’t dare voice his concern, for what difference would it make if he were to say it out loud.

And besides, McKay already knew – Sheppard could see that fear in his eyes.

“I can’t do anything,” McKay admitted. “Not a thing. Not a thing.”

“You’ll get it,” Sheppard consoled, hoping now – beyond hope. Oh God, it can’t end this way!

“Can’t think… can’t hardly move. I can’t do… nothing.” And he laughed again. He bit his lip in an attempt to silence the sound. “But you, you can do something…something… anything…” McKay continued, doggedly. “You… you have to help… Ronon… and Teyla. I…” And he swallowed thickly, trying to get out his thought. “I’ll…”

No! Not now! “You’ll keep working on opening this alcove!” Sheppard demanded, slapping the transparent door violently, hoping to wake his friend from this state. “And get that other door down! That’s an order!”

McKay stared downward, his eyes still tracking the data on the display, but his hands were limp beside the computer. The representation of the control panel on the display remained dim. His chest heaved at the attempt to find any remaining oxygen, jiggling with an unwanted giggle.

“Rodney!” John shouted, kicking again at the door. It glowed blue in annoyance, making a soft thrum.

“Won’t do any good,” McKay softly mocked, his eyes focusing on the transparent door. “This material… is amazing. Wish… wish I could figure out how they do that. Be a good thing to have in Atlantis. Wouldn’t that be just great?” He gasped. “Could glass-in a balcony or two. Fit a jumper with a glass bottom maybe.” And he laughed again, looking humiliated at his inability to stop.

“You have to fix it, McKay!” But it was obvious, even to John, that there was nothing to be done. Rodney was out of time.

“Tried…” Rodney gasped out. “Tried…”

Even John found it was getting harder to breathe. “Rodney,” he called again, but his voice had lost all its fire. He dropped down to his haunches beside the man. “I know.” And they were just inches apart, still separated by the clear door.

On the other side of the partition, Rodney just breathed. “My head hurts,” he said softly, furrowing his brow, and laughing again, a painful short sound. "And I'm so tired."

“Rodney…you have to find the way,” Sheppard pleaded. “There has to be another way.”

\--------------------

And they came – the Wraith. Stomping up the mountainside as if this was a romp – closing in on their targets. The faceless drones led, with the males close behind. There were still seven of them, Ronon realized with relief. Oh, fewer Wraith would have been fine – but only if he or Teyla had been the ones to reduce the forces. They’d both delivered some pretty solid hits on their foes, but not enough to stop them.

Seven Wraith behind us, Ronon thought, means no Wraith heading toward Sheppard and McKay.

He waited, glancing to Teyla, who waited as well. The group of seven came up the hillside, scaling over the stones as if they were nothing. Ronon hated them. He hated everything about them – their dead faces, their clothing, the way they walked, even the stones they touched as they moved over them. He especially hated the heather they stomped – a weed that smelled curiously of Earth’s broccoli. He felt the loathing boiling in him, as they came closer. His heart raced from the climb, and the storming emotion. He slowed his breathing, forcing himself to calm down.

They came closer. He could almost see the rotted teeth of the closer male as he opened his mouth in a ghastly grin. They came into the chute and were close – close enough.

He wanted them dead. He wanted them all dead. And he had the means to accomplish it.

He held his breath.

\--------------------

“There has to be another way,” Sheppard repeated.

And for a moment, neither man said a thing. John leaned against the glass door, pressing his forehead against the door not far from where Rodney leaned his own. He watched his friend within, struggling. Rodney hadn’t stopped trying, John realized, even though his lips were turning blue, even as hypoxia was inebriating him. The scientist’s eyes still roamed, as if searching for an answer, then Rodney raised his gaze to meet Sheppard’s.

There was conviction in that gaze, a brilliance that couldn’t be snuffed so easily.

“You know how to do it,” Sheppard said, more a statement than a question.

Rodney gulped down another breath and smiled broadly.

“What?” John demanded. “Out with it!”

It took a moment, and Sheppard felt his heart race as McKay fought for air. He giggled, and frowned, ashamed of himself for it. Trying again, he got out, “California.”

Sheppard puzzled at this non-sequitor, and then a realization hit him. “I tried that,” he said quietly, almost whispering as he met McKay’s gaze. “Rodney, I tried to remove the crystal, but it didn’t work.”

McKay swallowed, breathing as if he’d just run a marathon, breathing as if he was running for his life, breathing but the oxygen was gone. “It will work – Just didn’t try… I didn’t try…hard enough…before. It’ll reset -- everything. It – will -- work…”

Sheppard paused, watching as Rodney strained to breathe. His head rested again against the door. His lips trembled with effort of trying to keep living.

“Are you sure?” John asked, almost pathetically.

McKay didn’t voice an answer; he just stared back at Sheppard, glaring as if the man had just spouted off the stupidest comment of his life.

That was enough. Sheppard scrambled across the room to the control panel. He fell on his knees, glancing up again the gunk that covered the Ancient’s crystals. The Wraith tech was an abomination, a desecration of the Ancient tech. John quickly found the British Columbia shaped crystal and glanced up to check on Rodney.

The form in the alcove didn’t move. Head pressed to the window, mouth open, Rodney just slumped. The computer slipped from his lap to thunk quietly beside him. He was completely motionless, even the labored breathing seemed to have stopped.

\------------------

The Satedan met Teyla’s gaze and nodded. Together they turned away from the Wraith and opened fire – straight into the rocks that hung above. And then, almost as quickly, they spun away into what protection they could find as it all came loose in a cacophonous blast.

The shattered rocks roared -- falling, clattering and tumbling and rocketing down the chute. The drones stood stock-still, as if unable to process this strange calamity. The slow-witted creatures never moved and were obliterated as if they’d never existed. The males took a second to understand what had happened– but even that was too long. Eyes wide, they twisted about, attempting to jump aside – to no avail.

The rocks came down on them like a wave. Stones and debris, dust and fragments consumed the Wraith, wrapping around them, pulling them down. Boulders bounced, pounding the half-living flesh, scrambling them to nothing. The bodies rolled and bounced away with the rocks, wiped away as if a big hand had swept across the mountain, with the announcement, “Be gone!”

And in seconds, the tumbling roaring shattered overhang was gone. The debris kept rolling further down the hill, clattering and smashing the victims to smaller bits as it went

.--------------------

There was no time. With one quick motion, John pulled back on the crystal, twisting it as he moved it, trying desperately to cause little disturbance as possible to the gooey stuff that coated everything. He pulled it clear of its housing, yanking it away as quickly as he could.

The response was immediate. First – the unmistakable crack of electricity – combining with a pain-filled, but muffled cry from McKay. The lights on the control panel winked out, unnoticed. John watched, unable to take his eyes off of Rodney, who arched painfully, gasping for air that wasn’t there.

“I’m sorry, Rodney,” Sheppard whispered, holding the crystal between his thumb and forefinger as if he could crush it. The horrible jolt continued. John stormed toward the cell, as Rodney convulsed. He felt so damn helpless and worthless – utterly impotent. No! No!

And then, just as he reached the door, it was over. The surging sound of electricity simply stopped. In all , it had lasted no more than a couple seconds, but it had felt like a lifetime to Sheppard – two lifetimes.

Rodney, who’d stiffened in the throes of the electricity, slumped again against the door, looking heavy and lifeless.

Sheppard let out a breath. It was over, he decided, still squeezing on the crystal as he stood – as he waited.

“Please,” he uttered. “Please.”

But, the door didn’t open – and Rodney didn’t move.

 

CHAPTER 9: BLOB OF JAM

Ronon stepped clear of his protection, dusting at his shoulders and arms, kicking away the rocks that now barred his path. He watched the concussion of rocks. Below, boulders tumbled. Nothing remained of the Wraith – they’d been reduced to blobs of jam that littered the unhappy looking heather along the chute.

It made the former runner smile. He was covered in dust, suffering from a bruise or two, and had acquired a sore ankle and a bloody cheek somewhere along the line – but he felt pretty damn good. His hand brushed against his radio, and found it missing. He shrugged, not caring.

He smiled and turned to Teyla as she stood from her protected hollow. She was a little battered, a little dirty, her knees were bloody and caked with dust, but apparently she was well and whole.

Not bad, Ronon decided.

“I knew that would work,” he announced proudly as Teyla came closer.

Teyla shook her head at him as she tucked a loose hair behind her ear. With a smile, she told him, “Anyone can get lucky.”

\--------------------

“No… no…!” Sheppard drew in a breath. “Goddamn you, McKay!” he shouted. “Why’d we try that if it wasn’t going to work?”

McKay continued to slump against the door, his chest jerking in pathetic attempts at breathing, making no sign of waking up.

“You arrogant, son of a…” He drew back and slammed a hand against the door, instantly, the transparent cover shot up. Surprised, he stumbled, losing his balance and almost taking a head-dive into the alcove, as McKay tumbled forward and out.

Letting out a glad sound, Sheppard found his balance and caught Rodney before he fell completely forward. “Rodney!” he called, glancing up to where the door had disappeared. Goddamn, it was good to see that thing gone.

He placed a hand against one side of the Canadian’s pale face. “Rodney?” The face felt clammy, but he was breathing – he was breathing, drawing in great draughts unconsciously. For a second, all John could do was squeeze his eyes shut, as he clutched the physicist to his chest, feeling waves of relief. Oh, thank God! Thank God!

He felt for a pulse. He found it, but couldn’t make out anything from it except that Rodney was still alive. His breathing seemed troubled, the gasping was slowing, becoming shallower, and John shook his head in misery. “It’s just the sort of thing you’d do,” he muttered, still holding the scientist to his chest. “I get you out of the box and you stop breathing!”

The door had opened with a touch. He glanced at the crystal, still pinched in one hand. Son of a bitch was right. This one crystal was blocking everything. He jammed it into a pocket, not wanting to look at it anymore.

Wearily, he put McKay into the recovery position. They were miles from the Gate, on a planet with Wraith crawling about. He closed his eyes. Ronon and Teyla – where were they? How were they?

He sat with one hand on Rodney, as if he might give up some of his strength to the man. “Come on, McKay,” he whispered. “You were wanting to breathe, right? It’s the easiest thing.” But the strange shallow gasps did nothing to alleviate Sheppard’s fears. He seemed to breathing slower now. His pulse seemed fast. If Rodney was going into shock…

He sighed, wondering what the irritable scientist would have to say about one more form of shock foisted upon him.

“Stay alive and let me know.”

Wishing he could hear that tirade, John stayed beside the scientist, and just was quiet for a moment, as he glanced to the main door, he prepared himself for what might come.

\--------------------

Minutes passed. Sheppard waited with the P90 held in one hand. He’d managed to move McKay into a more protected portion of the room, but if the Wraith were to come, they were sitting ducks. Sheppard glanced to the doorway, knowing that he’d be better off taking a position outside where he could see what was coming, but there was no way in hell he’d leave McKay now.

When he heard movement beyond the door, he patted McKay, and moved away from him, getting closer to the opening.

Ronon and Teyla hadn’t responded to radio contact – so he could only expect the worst. He crouched, not wanting to leave the shelter of the room, not wanting to get far from McKay who still breathed too shallowly for his liking. He stood at the doorway, gun held ready, listening to the rustle of something coming closer.

Holding his breath, Sheppard prepared himself. He was going to be the last defense. No Wraith would enter this place. Not while he lived. And he gripped his weapon tighter in preparation to blow a hole through whatever came at him. Those sons-of-bitches would pay for what they’d done.

“Sheppard!” a voice called. Ronon, his voice sounding tight, concerned, “Sheppard!”

And John leaned out through the doorway, unable to suppress the smile as Ronon and Teyla appeared, coming through the forest toward the entrance. They paused and regarded him. Both looked worse for wear – a little battered and bloodied, but they smiled when they saw him.

“The Wraith?” Sheppard asked urgently.

“Dead,” Ronon proclaimed with pride. “We took down four darts and seven soldiers.”

Sheppard, for a moment, had nothing to say. “Seven?”

Ronon nodded, and stated casually. “Yeah. Got ‘em.”

“And four darts,” Teyla added self-assuredly. 

Ronon included, “And a probe.”

Sheppard glanced from one to the other. “The two of you.”

Ronon bobbed his head in a nod.

“How?”

“Wire and rocks,” Ronon replied easily.

There was undoubtedly more to the story, but now wasn’t the time to pursue it. “Any more Wraith coming?”

Teyla replied confidently, “I have not felt their presence return.”

“Well,” Sheppard sighed, “That’s some good news.”

“Colonel, it is good to see that you are well,” Teyla stated.

“Didn’t know if you’d have the door open yet or not,” Ronon added, as he approached the opening. “Looks like you got it.”

Teyla’s her brow furrowed when she noticed John was alone in the doorway, that she didn’t hear a constant and familiar prattle. “Doctor McKay?” she asked.

Sheppard jerked his head toward the interior of the room. “I just about killed him,” he stated bluntly. “We need to get him back to Atlantis.”

Teyla’s hopeful look fell as she saw the fear reflected in Sheppard’s eyes, and she jogged past him into the little room. Ronon stopped when he reached the doorway, not moving any further as he watched Teyla dropped beside the scientist. McKay wasn’t moving, looking pale and sick.

“What happened?” the former runner asked.

“Well, as if suffocating wasn’t bad enough, I nearly shocked him to death,” Sheppard responded, watching Teyla as she touched Rodney’s face gently.

“He is very ill,” Teyla said softly. “We should return immediately. We should find some means of carrying him.”

Ronon nodded and backed out of the doorway. Pulling one of his knives, he began attacking a nearby trees. Sheppard watched him for a moment, as the Satedan brought a sapling down within a few seconds. Ronon seemed know what he was doing, so Sheppard stepped back into the room and stood over Teyla.

The Athosian was murmuring to Rodney, but stopped her quiet litany when Sheppard came near. “That is the alcove where he was trapped,” she stated to confirm her suspicion. She gestured to the room where McKay’s data-tablet and pack still remained.

Sheppard nodded, and moved toward the space to retrieve the items. “A transparent door came down,” he explained. “I don’t know what those things were made of, but I wasn’t getting through it. He was trapped without any air.”

“He does not like to be in small spaces,” Teyla reminded softly.

For that, she received an angry look from Sheppard. “Tell me something I don’t know,” he snapped.

But her eyes remained kind and soft as she regarded him. “It must have been difficult,” she said plainly.

“That’s an understatement. He hated it,” Sheppard returned, picking up the pack, and then clutching the data-tablet. “God, how he hated it.” With a sigh, Sheppard realized that in spite of his fears, McKay had been able to calm himself down. John wondered if he could have done the same if he had such a phobia.

Continuing, Sheppard stated, “He kept working at getting it fixed.” The computer was still clipped into the system – the screen displaying a replica of the control console. “Kept trying. He was out of air. It was killing him.”

“It must have been difficult for you as well,” Teyla went on. “I would have been upset to see him in such a place.”

John looked up from the screen to watch her, but she returned her attention to Rodney.

“Did you free him from the room before he was unconscious?” she asked quietly.

“He couldn’t get the damn door open,” Sheppard responded. “He was out of oxygen. He knew that if I touched the crystals he’d get shocked, but it was the only way to do it. He’d figured out which crystal was the linchpin.” With a frown, John remembered, “I electrocuted him. He was out of it when the door finally opened.”

Still looking at the screen, John said tiredly, “Once that crystal was pulled, the control console shut down.” He gestured to it and explained. “The Wraith had overlaid their tech on it, booby trapped it. Made it impossible for anyone to mess with it without hurting one of our own. Once the panel was shut down, I could use the gene to open his door. I almost killed him,” he repeated softly.

“If he were suffocating in the alcove, then it was the right thing to do,” Teyla told him. “It is unfortunate that the transporters were not functioning,” she added wistfully. “It is what this room was designed for, is it not?”

“We thought about that,” Sheppard returned. “Couldn’t risk it if we couldn’t trust the using the control console.” And Sheppard just stared at the image of that panel on the screen. It had been mostly dim when he’d seen it before. The image was bright now -- active. Amazing that the computer wasn’t fried with the electricity. He regarded the image on the computer screen as he glanced back to the control console that it resembled…and wondered.

Teyla made a sound and she shot to her feet, in a protective posture over Rodney. Her head swiveled and she seemed almost to be scenting the air. “They’re back,” she hissed after a second. “The Wraith! They have come through the gate!”

Outside, they heard Ronon stop working. He came to the doorway and glanced within, his eyes fastening on the motionless scientist. “We should move him now. Try to get him someplace safe.” Looked about at the room, stating, “I don’t like the idea of being trapped here.”

“Oh,” said Sheppard, looking at the data-tablet in his hand. “I don’t think we’re the ones going to get trapped this time.” He smiled at them. “I got a plan.”

\--------------------

Sheppard waited, listening for Ronon. The Satedan was using McKay’s radio, since he’d lost his. Teyla had to go without.

Sheppard moved slowly in the room – the same damn room he’d been in the whole time – but this time, he had control of it – and that made all the difference. He walked over the central disk again, pausing for a moment before continuing toward one of the alcoves, and crouched down beside it.

Within, McKay had been carefully placed, curled and leaning against one wall, a folded jacket under his head, and draped with the remaining coats. Sheppard paused, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Rodney didn’t move, except to breathe.

“I’m sorry about this, Rodney,” Sheppard said softly. “But it’s the safest place for you. I swear, this won’t be for long. The crystal is out, so I can get the door up in a second.” And he patted the crystal in his pocket, hoping it was true.

In his ear, Ronon announced, “We got some coming through on foot.”

“How many?” Sheppard asked.

“Five,” was his return. “Four drones and a male. They are approaching your location.”

“Great,” he responded.

“I don’t like this idea,” Ronon’s voice told him.

“That’s why you’re out there, and I’m the one in here,” Sheppard told him.

“He shouldn’t be in there,” Ronon went on.

“You think hiding Rodney in the woods is any better if this all goes to crap?”

“I’d watch out for him,” Ronon declared hotly.

“I know you would, Ronon,” Sheppard said with a sigh. “This way is better.”

“How is he?” the Satedan asked.

Sheppard sighed, hating this part of the plan. “Could be better,” he responded. “I’m locking him in now.” It wouldn’t be long, but that fact didn’t make Sheppard feel any better as he brought the door down once more, trapping in the scientist. “Sorry,” he voiced softly. “Sorry about this.”

He stood outside the glass, as he had before, and kept his eye on Rodney for a moment longer, making sure that the Canadian didn’t touch the glass – making certain he was still breathing. “Do me a favor,” John spoke softy. “Much as I want you waking up, just stay out of it for a few more minutes, okay? You won’t even have to know what we’ve done to you.”

Assured that Rodney was as ‘okay’ as he could be, Sheppard turned and ducked into another alcove – the same one Rodney had been stuck in for so long. He picked up the still-attached data-tablet. He’d tested it as much as he was able, finding the controls seemed to work exactly as McKay had described earlier – he just hoped it ALL worked as he’d figured.

Sheppard brought the door down with a thought. Instantly, his hearing muffled, there was pressure against his ears. He felt closed in – under glass, as if he were in some sort of display case – like a bug mounted on a pin. The space was so damn small. He frowned, feeling even sorrier for locking McKay in again. This was a hell of a place to be stuck, even for someone who wasn’t afraid of tight spaces.

Sheppard shifted, pressing against the ‘glass’ door in order to see McKay across the way, finding the other man's hunched back still toward him. John watched, looking for any sign of waking, but the scientist didn’t stir. Don’t, John thought, not yet. He wished he could have left Rodney with a radio – in case he woke up in there alone.

There was a click in his ear, and Sheppard knew why he had to rob McKay of that possible comfort. With that signal, the Wraith’s coming had been announced – Ronon and Teyla were silent and hidden just out of sight, ready to add their help if the plan wasn’t enough. Sheppard hoped to God this worked – hoped that McKay was right and the doors on the transporters would stand up to the abuse they were about to undergo – hoped that he had control of the room now and not the Wraith -- hoped the rest of McKay’s theories about the facility proved right. What was that he’d said about ‘blobs of jam’?

Rodney was rarely wrong – and Sheppard put all of trust in him – trusted him enough that he risked not only his own life – but Rodney’s as well.

And the Wraith arrived.

They came in with a blast of light, startling and terrifying, as the Wraith fired into the room almost as soon as they were in sight of it. John was prepared, but still he stepped back almost unconsciously as the blast scattered across the transparent door -- making it glow bluish for a moment – and dissipated quickly. They fired again. Sheppard winced against the light, keeping an eye on the attackers. He could see Rodney’s door aglow as well. Stay still, he directed at Rodney -- and to the door, he thought, don’t blow up!

\------------------

Something woke him. Something loud and bright, that pulled him from the depths of blackness.

He hurt. Everything hurt. His head pounded mercilessly. A blazing fierce pain fired through him. It didn’t stop. Breathe… he had to breathe. He was going to die!

Fighting with every ounce of strength he had, he forced his way upward, out of the black and gasped explosively. His eyes shot open to stare wide–eyed at a wall, a white, terribly familiar alcove wall. No…

Oh my God… I’m still here, he thought. Still here!

“No,” he gasped… “No… I…”

He tried to move, but it was as if a Wraith stunner had hit him, without the benefit of numbness. His body wouldn’t respond, and when he tried to move a hand, his muscles spasmed and he gasped against the new pain.

“No… no… no…” He was twisted, his knees tucked to his chest, and facing the bleak wall. Sheppard? Where? I must’ve run out of air, or fainted from the electric shock. The shock… oh God… would it never end? Is it still going on? Every cell in his body ached against it. He hurt. He wanted the hurt to end. It pulsed through him still, setting every nerve on fire.

And he stared at the wall, disbelieving. Still there, he was still in the wretched little alcove!

My tomb, he thought cheerlessly. I don’t want to die here. Please, don’t let me die here…

“Colonel?” he tried to call, his voice raspy. Sheppard? Why hadn’t Sheppard been able to free him? Where had he gone? Why wasn’t he nearby? For certainly, Sheppard wouldn’t have abandoned him here. He wouldn’t, would he?

And for a moment, he felt the empty aloneness – and he furrowed his brow against it. No… no… Sheppard would not have left him.

Then, why wasn’t Sheppard here? He should be, at least, talking, or raging just outside the door.

He tried to suck in another breath, but stopped -- realizing that something had happened to Sheppard – the shock from the control console. My, God, he hadn’t considered the fact that Sheppard might be affected as well -- the shock – the horrible shock. Sheppard might have suffered, too. Sheppard might be unconscious… needing help.

He made a concerted effort to turn. He concentrated, trying to make his muscles work, but they were dead to him, disconnected. His chest heaved in his effort, he gasped, knowing that the air must be poison to him, but he had to try, had to at least see if Sheppard were all right. God, his head hurt…

But what good would it do? What difference would it make if he tried?

His eyes fluttered shut with the realization of his failure. This had been his plan. He’d managed to kill Sheppard as surely as himself. What was the point of anything now?

 

CHAPTER 10: TOAST

They fired at his door again. John held his P90 at his side, for it would do little good if the door failed. The door won’t fail, Sheppard reminded himself.

They came in, stunners firing – the drones and the male – came in as if they owned the place, thinking their quarry was trapped and at their mercy. John wouldn’t show them any mercy in return. The stunner-fire stopped. Sheppard watched their movements carefully. The male came to stand at the control console, the drones stood around him. The leader of the group gave Sheppard a superior look, and then it glanced to McKay with a look of detached hunger.

It moved in that strange inhuman manner of its kind. There was something totally alien about it – more insect than man. The closeness of the thing made Sheppard’s skin crawl.

“Two trapped,” it hissed. “I would have thought that only one would be in the alcoves.”

“Guess you lucked out, Bruce. Mind if I call you Bruce?” Sheppard asked casually.

The Wraith looked annoyed. He’d expected fear, he’d expected resistance, he’d expected an attempt at escape – not coolness. Sounding a little ticked off, the creature growled, “I am not to be called by human voices. I answer only to…”

“This trap was set to spring as soon as someone stepped far enough into one of these alcoves, wasn’t it?” Sheppard interrupted. “To trap at least one of our group, and then make it impossible for anyone to mess with the control console to rescue him.”

The Wraith looked proud, as he gazed toward McKay’s unmoving form. It sneered, annoyed. “The others with you…” it paused, glancing toward the door, “Certainly there were others. They managed to escape?” It was a question, laced with a certain amount of disbelief and anger.

“Your wonderful trap didn't snare them. We figured out how to open the door,” Sheppard stated. “Wasn’t so hard.”

“Yet you are still trapped.” It gave an awful smile. “It surprises me that you still have air to breathe. We would have arrived sooner, but were -- detained. How did you survive for so long?”

To that question, Sheppard responded with, “Honestly, I don’t think you deserve to know. You’re going to be toast in a few seconds anyway.”

Annoyed, the Wraith continued, “A dead human is worthless to us.” And he grinned all the wider, his foul teeth showing. “I will take YOU alive.”

“Seem to have gone to a lot of trouble to catch us like this,” Sheppard went on. “Don’t know how well it worked.”

The Wraith stepped away from the platform, moving across the room. “We have you,” he voiced. “We have captured a human from Earth – and that was our desire.”

“So you have me. Big deal. You lost a bunch of your guys and some ships, right?”

Snarling, the Wraith stated, “Soon we shall know everything about Earth.”

“Earth?” John echoed. “You don’t want to go there,” he told him. “The Goth look is passé. It's all Emo now. You’d need to find a new hair stylist and everything.”

The Wraith tried not to look perplexed at this statement, and he stepped closer, two of the drones keeping close behind. “We shall have all of Earth as our new feasting grounds.”

“I don't think so,” John responded. “Tell you the truth, I don’t think you know what the hell you’re doing.” He watched the creature step onto the center circle – his drone guards just outside it. “And you’re not getting anything out of us.”

The horrible grin did not dip from the creature. “You humans are so weak,” he declared. “We will learn everything we want from you.”

“Obviously not,” Sheppard responded, watching the being shift closer. “Seems to me you’ve learned nothing. Seems to me that you’re all just a bit stupid and a lot over-confident.”

Oh, it didn’t like defiance. Its face became even more awful. “It is a pity for your kind that you do not know when you are defeated.”

And it stepped closer – the two drones moving with him – into the circle. “Yeah, a pity,” Sheppard stated, and, holding the data-tablet tightly, tapped the central circle on the screen, and then a button corresponding to one of the planets. The room flashed with light, and John threw up an arm to shield his face, closing his eyes against it. Everything flared even brighter, but in a second, the light faded.

John blinked, finding his vision blurry. He blinked again to clear it, and dropped his arm and stare out at a much emptier room.

Three Wraith transported to who-knows-where. Sheppard grinned. Not bad. Not bad at all.

The remaining two Wraith, spun about, seeming confused, baffled by the sudden disappearance of their compatriots. Then, they did the only thing a rational and thinking creature could do – they fled.

It was probably just a communal instinct – their leader gone – the drones sought to return to the hive. From his space inside the alcove, Sheppard watched the two muscular creatures quickly exit the room and disappear from his sight. In the next second, they were caught up in a firefight. Sheppard nudged open the transparent door with a thought and sprinted across the open space in time to see the drones fall under Ronon and Teyla’s barrage. One went down before the other. The first one staggered, struggling to get away, only have its head blown off its shoulders with a blast of Ronon’s weapon.

The faceless head clonked to the ground like a coconut and rolled away, a second before the body fell.

The other almost made it to his feet, but Sheppard was ready. He aimed his P90 and fired, filling the creature with as many rounds as the weapon could get off. Teyla assisted. Between them, the Wraith tottered, stumbled and fell down for good, not far from its decapitated brethren.

And for a moment – everything was quiet. Sheppard kept his gaze on the two bodies – but there was no need to worry about them any longer.

Ronon and Teyla appeared from the cover of the woods. “Did the plan work?” Teyla asked urgently.

“Yup,” Sheppard responded, and he ducked back into the room, back to Rodney’s cell. The door shot up as he reached it and he gently grabbed hold of Rodney and eased him out of the confined space.

“How is he?” Ronon asked, staying at the doorway as guard.

“Alive,” Sheppard told him bluntly, he kept his eyes focused on the pale and unconscious scientist.

Teyla was beside Sheppard, helping him with Rodney. She seemed discontent as she brought Rodney onto his side.

“We should hurry,” she said softly. “Dr. McKay needs assistance. We must return home before any more Wraith are sent.”

“Speaking of that,” Ronon started. “Where’d you transport them?” He nodded to the circle in the room – the large matter transporter.

“I think it was the planet nearest the sun. Either that or that gassy one. I wasn’t payin’ that much attention and I’m okay either way.”

“Think they made it there in one piece?” Ronon continued, as he went back to fetch the pieces of his half-constructed stretcher. He frowned as he realized what he’d said. “I mean, did the three of them get there in their three pieces?”

Sheppard shrugged and uttered, “I was happier with your first idea. Either that or three new and amazing Wraith blobs that have never been seen before.”

Ronon nodded, appreciating that image.

Sheppard turned toward the door and said, “Let’s get moving.” And they went to work.

\--------------------

He was aware of movement. He swayed. He dipped. He moved. He tried to drift, to let the movement soothe him, but the jagged pain woke him, tormenting him, jabbing at him until he couldn’t slip into the quiet any longer. It brought him back to the living world of agony. Muscles cramped, demanding relief.

He couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t handle waking in that horrible space again. He had to get out. Get out now. Sheppard… he had to find out… had to see if the Colonel was all right.

I have to call the others, he rationalized. They’d come back. I have to get out of here.

He had to find Sheppard, had to see if he was okay. He had to reach for his radio – to call the others – to get them to stop chasing Wraith. Should have kept them at the outpost, because, once the door had been opened, they might have been able to escape back through the gate with Sheppard.

Ronon – Teyla – were they okay? The realization made him gasp. Oh God… were they dead, too? I have to … I have to… help…must move… must get out of here.

Nothing… nothing… He couldn’t move. What use are you anyway?

I have to try… I must…

He used every ounce of energy he could muster to turn, to open his eyes, to at least see what had happened to Sheppard. His muscles contracted, screaming as he forced them. Please…please… I must…

And then the whole world exploded on him.

\--------------------

“Rodney,” Sheppard called softly, from his rear position, carrying the stretcher. He’d seen a flicker on the scientist’s face, a bit of a grimace where there’d been no expression before.

Ronon, who carried the front of the litter, looked over his shoulder, and slowed his gait. “He wakin’ up?”

“Might be,” Sheppard responded.

They traveled along the high bank of the little brook, carefully toting the scientist back to the gate. Teyla had run ahead, to activate the Gate and to call for the help of others. Worryingly, Rodney hadn’t made a sound and shown no sign of waking. He’d tremble, but there’d been no further movement from him – until now. McKay’s frown deepened, and his limbs made strange little jerking motions.

“Rodney,” Sheppard called again, wishing he had a free hand. “Hey, pal, you all right?” Carrying the stretcher was murder. Already John’s arms ached and he’d considered jettisoning McKay’s pack to lighten the load – but he knew the scientist would strangle him if that happened. At least they were more than halfway there. It wouldn’t take much longer and they’d have McKay someplace safe – have someone who could look after him properly. The stillness had scared Sheppard, but this new movement wasn’t any less disturbing.

“We’re gettin’ you home,” Sheppard continued, trying to sound soothing. “Just hope you don’t rip my arms out of their sockets on the way.”

The twitching continued. The grimace increased.

“How ‘bout we set him down for a sec?” Sheppard asked Dex.

“Be better if we kept moving,” the former runner stated, increasing the pace and forcing Sheppard to keep up.

“I need to check him,” The colonel told him, stumbling at the new gait as he glanced around, hoping to find a decent place to set down their burden.

It was when John’s head was turned that McKay moved – violently. Somehow the scientist twisted, flipping to one side, disrupting the simple litter. Sheppard dropped his end of the stretcher in an attempt to catch Rodney. The pack, caught up in Rodney’s feet only further tangled him. Ronon – shocked by the sudden change, went down on one knee.

Sheppard missed. Ronon vainly tried to keep from losing their cargo. McKay hit the ground, and tumbled down the bank, twisting toward the little stream. Cursing, Sheppard lunged after him, grabbing for Rodney, catching one leg. He threw down his own weight to stop their downward path, but they skidded on the loose soil. Ronon was beside him in an instant, reaching for Rodney’s arm, slamming himself down on his belly, bringing everything to a stop.

For a second, they panted, completely still, lying on the bank of the creek, while they clung to Rodney. The pretty sound of the water continued past them.

“Damn,” Sheppard said in an exhale.

“Yeah,” Ronon agreed. After drawing in another breath, he climbed to his knees, carefully checking McKay to see if he was okay.

“Why the hell didja have to do that, McKay?” Sheppard groused, watching Ronon as he checked on the Canadian.

“He’s out,” Ronon proclaimed.

Sheppard pressed himself up to his hands and knees, to see for himself. Rodney’s face was slack again – there was no sign of further movement.

“Rodney!” Sheppard called sharply, giving the scientist’s leg a shake. “Come on, Rodney. I know you’re in there!”

But the effort it had taken Rodney to free himself from the stretcher had been enough to send him back into oblivion. Sheppard took his pulse again, and frowned. It didn’t seem good to him, and they were still a long way from the Gate. What were they going to do? Goddamn it! What were they going to do?

Ronon got to his feet, not bothering to dust the sandy soil from his clothing as he grabbed Rodney’s pack and hiked the few feet back to where they’d started. He settled the upset stretcher so that it was level, perching the pack beside it. He glanced down at Sheppard expectantly. “Let’s get going,” he declared.

“Yeah,” Sheppard sighed, rubbing at his aching arms. “Let’s go.” Something told him that Rodney might not have that much time left though. His breathing was still too shallow, and he was still pale as hell. “Come on, McKay,” he sighed. “Wake up, just for a little bit, okay?” He sat down beside his unmoving friend, even as Ronon came back toward them to help tote McKay back to the stretcher.

“We gotta go,” Ronon said. “Him layin’ in the dirt like that isn’t gonna do him any good.”

“Yeah,” Sheppard responded harshly.

“Beckett will help him more than we could.”

“Thanks for the info.”

Ronon scowled. “I wonder about you,” he grumbled. “I got to tell you the most obvious things sometimes.”

Sheppard looked up at Ronon, and found himself smiling at that comment, but the smile dropped into a look of wonder as he looked beyond the Satedan.

From that angle, he could just see something strange in the woods behind Dex -- something out of place in that green and brown world of growing things.

Ronon increased his unhappy look. “What?” he asked. “I got twigs in my hair again?”

“There’s something back there,” Sheppard declared. He stood quickly. “Stay with him,” he ordered as if there was any doubt, and hiked up the steep bank, scuttling quickly to investigate the strange shape in the woods.

\--------------------

Sheppard continued forward, enticed by the perplexing shape. It was almost hidden -- massive trees had grown into it, over it. It was covered in dirt and moss and lichen and probably 10,000 years of crap. He frowned as he closed on it – a squat building. What the heck was this for?

The architecture, mostly swallowed up by the centuries, the millenniums of growth, was still visible. Here and there it peeked out at him – the work of the Ancients. John pressed his lips together, remembering how they’d been instructed by the devious Tuweepan hunters to take the path over the hill, and not the easier trek through the valley – this, he figured, was the reason they’d been rerouted.

There was something important about this little building.

“Sheppard,” Ronon called from behind him.

“Gimmie a second,” Sheppard declared, reaching out to touch a wall. He brushed at it, knocking down the moss to reveal a symbol – he recognized it from before -- ‘power’. He brushed again, revealing further symbols that he didn’t recognize.

“Sheppard,” Ronon called again. “We have to go. Now.”

“Yeah,” Sheppard responded, there was no doubting that. “I’m coming.” The sooner they got McKay back, the better chance he’d stand. This wasn’t at time for exploring. He turned, his foot slipped in the duff and he shot out a hand to steady himself against the building – and the wall beneath him shuddered.

He jerked away, gazing in astonishment as a door quivered, sluggishly responding – slowed by the growth of ten-thousand years of ivy and vines.

It made a cracking, shattering sound as it broke up the ancient vines, scraped away the eons of moss and muck, opening to reveal a small room. Daylight streamed into darkness. He stepped forward to gaze into it. What if there was something here to help us, he thought. Something…anything… But little was revealed -- a room, with benches across three walls, a tall cabinet, and then a stairway leading downward into the earth.

“Sheppard!” Ronon called again, his voice urgent now. “Sheppard! Now! He’s not breathing!”

Spinning away from the opening, John lost all interest in the space. Ronon was crouched over Rodney, arranging his head and squeezing his nose shut to begin artificial respiration.

“No…” Sheppard groaned and dashed down to Ronon’s side. The building, apparently sensing he had gone, brought down its door to hide its mysteries once again.

 

CHAPTER 11: WAFFLES 

Ronon breathed for McKay. The Canadian’s heart still beat. Sheppard clung to Rodney’s wrist, feeling the rapid pulse, letting out a groan of distress when the beat finally faded.

He moved into position and started compressions as Ronon backed off. “Come on!” he shouted. “Come on! Rodney. Don’t do this!”

Counting to fifteen, Sheppard kept up the work as he berated, “You’re pissing me off, Rodney! You got plenty of air now! Don’t you DARE do this now that I got you out of that place! And I just found a room of mystery,” he shouted, as he moved out of the way as Ronon leaned back in to breathe. He felt for a pulse – nothing! Don’t… don’t… don’t! Dammit! Please don’t!

“You won’t be able to stand yourself if you don’t have a chance to get down there and check it out!”

Ronon sat back again, silent. He saved his breath for Rodney, his face tight. John saw something akin to fear in the otherwise fearless man’s expression. Sheppard started compressions again.

“Come on! Start breathing! You can do this, Rodney,” John baited. “You’ve pulled off bigger miracles than this. This is small potatoes.” Don’t you even fucking think about it! “This is stupid, Rodney. This is so goddamn stupid for you to do this right now.”

He moved back and Ronon moved in, breathing because Rodney wouldn’t. “We got too much left to do! This whole damn galaxy left to explore. Come on, already!”

Then, miraculously, a gasp – just as Ronon sat back, Rodney took a breath on his own, and another.

The two remained in place, ready to resume the procedure, as Sheppard reached for Rodney’s wrist again – there! He released a sigh of relief to find a pulse again. They were frozen, some small voice telling them that if they remained perfectly still, the moment wouldn’t end, and Rodney would keep breathing – he did. Another breath – and another. The pulse continued, stronger now.

Sheppard looked up to Ronon who held his fearful expression. They were still a good distance from the Gate – a long way to go. And, Rodney was in big – big trouble. So, for that moment, they were still, letting Rodney breathe while they caught their own breaths.

It was only a crashing sound that drew them out of their stillness. Not now! Not now! Goddamn Wraith! John jumped to his feet, while Ronon drew his weapon where he sat – and they aimed into the forest – toward the approaching ruckus. Sheppard glanced up to the strange little building. Could hide in there, he theorized. He was about to dive down to haul Rodney toward it when a voice rang out.

“Colonel Sheppard! Ronon!” Teyla, the sound of her voice was never lovelier.

“We’re here!” Sheppard shouted, letting his weapon drop to his side. Thank God, oh thank God. “We need Beckett! Now!”

“I’m comin’ as fast as I can!” a voice called from further behind.

And then, Teyla was there, with Major Lorne running and panting beside her. She smiled, proud that she had brought help, then paused, looking at McKay as Ronon crouched over him. Her smile dropped, seeing how much worse he looked.

“Dr. McKay?” she asked the simple question to Ronon, who could only give her a halfhearted shrug in response.

“Colonel Sheppard,” Lorne greeted. “We tried to radio you, but received no response.”

Sheppard glanced to Teyla, seeing that she still wore one of their remaining radios. He sighed, touching his ear. The radio was gone -- probably lost somewhere on the bank. “Yeah,” Sheppard responded. “Got a bad habit of losing them.”

“We would have come by jumper,” Lorne went on. “But there was one heck of a pile-up on your side of the Gate. Couldn’t risk it.” He dipped his head adding, "We have a team working on it right now. Should be able to punch a jumper through any minute."

Ronon kept his attention on Rodney, watching him carefully as if the force of his gaze might keep the Canadian breathing.

Then Beckett burst through the woods, with two more marines at his side. “Here you are!” he called, looking happy as a clam, but his eyes instantly fastened on McKay and he pleased expression fell. He dropped to his knees beside the man.

“Stopped breathing. Heart stopped for a bit,” Ronon stated tersely, as if these were everyday matters, but his expression belied his easy tone.

“Oh Lord,” Beckett uttered. “Julian,” he called to one of the marines, and started issuing orders to the young medic.

Sheppard wanted to get in beside Beckett and Ronon, but the medic, Pvt. Deroche, weaseled his way in, opening the large emergency kit, and drawing out supplies as Beckett called for them. Instead Sheppard was left to stand beside Lorne and Teyla.

And Sheppard began to explain what he knew as Beckett went to work.

\--------------------

He felt disconnected and strange, almost as if he was floating. Strange… so strange. He was quiet, listening, trying to get his bearings. Nearby, someone spoke in a low tone, too soft to be easily picked up. Sheppard? He concentrated, trying to understand, but the voice faded leaving him with the impression that it had never been there in the first place.

Wishful thinking. If wishes were horses…

He had to do something – he knew that. What was it? Slowly, he tried to move one hand, but it seemed captured, held in place. Closed in… that was it. He was trapped – trapped in that horrible alcove. Oh God. He couldn’t to this! He’d always been afraid of small places – ever since he was a kid… ever since…

What was happening? Was he still in the alcove? It felt as if he’d been trapped for hours! Trapped for days! Help, he cried out with his mind. Get me out! Help! I can’t breathe!

Near him, something started beeping frenetically, and he gasped in panic. Air! He was running out of oxygen! His chest hurt and he refused to draw another breath of the tainted atmosphere. He flailed out his arms, freeing them from the bonds of gravity. He had to get out! One hand got caught up in something. His legs were trapped. He fought. Escape – must get out! Don’t draw another breath! It’ll kill you!

The beeping increased in intensity, and he battled all the harder.

Something clasped onto one arm, trying to untangle it. His other arm was grabbed as well, and he was being forced backward, immobilized. Oh, God, the Wraith had come – and John was dead – and Teyla was dead and Ronon was certainly dead – for surely they would all be gone if the Wraith had gotten this far.

He fought them, as nobly as he could. He wouldn’t go without a battle, but he felt so weak and strange – as if his limbs were not his own.

“Rodney,” he heard someone call. “Rodney! Listen to me, lad. Oh, Lord, he’s not breathing. Rodney, take a breath, you stupid git!” Someone grabbed his face.

They were pressing down on him and he’d be forced to suck in air, knowing that it was nearly gone, that it was killing him. Not wanting to, he breathed in, gasping.

“Oh, thank the Lord.”

Still, he’d fight with every last ounce of strength he had left. He tried to jerk one arm loose.

“McKay, knock it off! You give me a fat lip and you’ll pay for it. Come on, buddy, it’s me!

A bass voice commented, “Don’t fight him.”

“Fight? Damn it, I’m just trying to keep him from hurting himself. McKay!”

A soft voice added, “Rodney, you are safe. You are safe, Rodney.”

“Yeah, McKay, you’re safe until you pull out that IV line and then you’ll be in trouble with the doc. Either you calm down or Beckett’s gonna pump you full of drugs and knock you out, and I think you’ve been out of it for long enough.”

“Ach, I’m not about to do that now. He’ll calm, given a minute.”

He couldn’t move. His arms had been captured -- he was being forced back. “No…” he tried to yell forcefully, but it came out only as a pathetic whimper. “Please… no… I gotta… help…” He couldn’t let them win, not while the others were in danger.

“You’re back in Atlantis! We’re home! McKay, listen! Do you hear me? We’re all safe, McKay.”

He stilled, and listened. Safe? Everyone?

“See, I told you so,” a lilting brogue sounded in his ear.

Panting, he finally opened his eyes, to stare up at Sheppard and Beckett, who were both far too close for comfort. There faces seemed inches from his. He swallowed and gazed back at them, perplexed.

“Welcome back, McKay,” Sheppard said, sitting back almost instantly.

“He—hey,” McKay whispered in a soft greeting.

Beckett still fussed near him, spouting off all sorts of mumbo jumbo. Ignoring his commentary, Rodney turned his head, taking in Teyla and Ronon, who stood near the foot of the bed, looking anxious and concerned. He blinked at them. Teyla smiled, Ronon nodded.

“You’re…” he tried to speak two words together, but his mouth felt pasty. “…Okay?” he completed.

Teyla and Ronon exchanged glances, but Sheppard seemed to understand. “They’re fine, McKay,” he spoke the words distinctly, making sure he made eye contact with the man. “They made it back okay.”

“Okay?”

“We are fine, Dr. McKay,” Teyla assured. “We have only a few scrapes.”

“We all made it back,” Ronon added, his voice stern, as he figured that’s what it took to get through an addled mind.

“Good… good,” McKay stated, his voice a rough whisper. He arched his gaze across the room again. It looked so big. He smiled – perhaps a bit peculiarly – as he took in the open space.

So much air… all the oxygen a man could want.

“How’re you feelin’?” Sheppard asked.

McKay said nothing at first, just enjoying all the room around him. Finally – finally. He kinda liked the infirmary at that moment. Lots of space… lots of space. Then he tried to sit up, and felt his muscles protest. He cringed, trying to ball himself up, only to be halted by Beckett and Sheppard.

“It’ll pass,” Beckett told him.

“Rodney?” Sheppard repeated.

“Crap,” he finally answered, his voice like gravel. “I feel like crap.”

“It’s to be expected,” Beckett told him, sitting back when he figured Rodney wouldn’t keep trying to curl up and torture his already malingered muscles.

“Throat… dry,” McKay said with a wince.

Beckett grasped a cup from somewhere nearby, brought it over the bed. “This should help,” he stated and slid a chip of ice into his patient’s mouth.

It felt like heaven. Rodney let it melt on his tongue and enjoyed its coolness. When he opened his eyes again, he found that everyone was watching him. “What?” he asked distractedly.

Beckett started talking, telling him about his condition and how he was improving. “We almost lost you, lad,” Carson said softly. He looked distraught as he explained, “I don’t think the electricity was meant to kill you."

"That's what you say," McKay groaned, putting a hand to his forehead.

"Aye," Carson responded. "It was set mostly as a detriment, but combined with the hypoxia it’s a miracle you made it.” Beckett ran a nervous hand through his hair. “And then you went and stopped breathing, and then your heart stopped.”

“What? When?” McKay shot back.

“Back on that planet when only Ronon and Sheppard were with you,” Beckett explained.

Grimacing, McKay pressed lightly on his chest. “That’d explain the soreness.” A strange look came over McKay and he looked to his rescuers. “You didn’t have to…” his voice trailed off as he touched his mouth tentatively. “You know…”

Ronon smiled broadly at him, look pretty damn proud of himself. “I did it,” he said simply.

McKay went a little pale, and made a strange gargled sound in the back of his throat that only made Ronon look more pleased.

Desperate to change the subject, Rodney turned to Sheppard. “But, the crystal thing…it worked?”

“Pulling out that crystal to shut down the control console?” Sheppard responded, his voice hard. “If you call nearly killing you a good result, then yeah, it worked. The doors opened.”

McKay nodded. “Good… good.” He paused again, as if building up the strength to ask, “And you were okay?”

“Me?” Sheppard asked, surprised.

“Nothing happened to you?”

“No,” Sheppard exclaimed. “Jeez, Rodney. I was perfectly fine. God, nothing happened to me.”

His lazy gaze took in Ronon and Teyla. They both looked a little battered.

“As told you,” Teyla stated. “Only a few scrapes and bruises.”

“We took out four darts and fourteen Wraith soldiers,” Ronon said with a grin. “And a probe.”

For that, he received an astonished look, that made Ronon smile all the wider. “Well, it was mostly me and Teyla. Sheppard only took down one Wraith – and it was just a drone – and Teyla had to help.”

“Hey,” Sheppard put in, he gave Ronon a glare.

“Some people are just luckier than others,” Teyla added with a smile, which put a glower on Ronon’s face.

“What about the ones I beamed out of there?” Sheppard pointed out.

To that, Ronon didn’t look impressed. “That was more McKay than you,” he declared. “McKay figured it out and you just pressed buttons.”

“What?” Rodney’s voice went up an octave. “You used the transporters? Because, because I told you they weren’t safe. You didn’t try to transport me with that thing.” And he felt around, trying to ensure that all his visible parts were in place.

“Not you,” Ronon assured. “Transported a mess of Wraith over to the planet with the methane atmosphere,” Ronon told him.

“A mess?” McKay echoed. “Can you be any more accurate than that?”

“Mess?” Sheppard thought about the word a moment. “Seems about right from what the Daedalus found when they got there to investigate. I didn’t think lips are supposed to end up where they did.”

Letting McKay puzzle over that for a second, Sheppard continued with, “Oh, and you were right about the doors. Stood up to the full blast of those Wraith stunners.” He waved a hand. “No problem.”

“Oh?” McKay responded, looking perplexed. “Why would you know that?”

“They took a couple good hits,” Sheppard said nonchalantly. “It’s all cool.”

“Good to know,” McKay replied, still not sure of what was going on. “Wish I’d been there.”

Sheppard submerged any thought of telling Rodney that he’d been right there in the thick of it – it’d be better to keep some things quiet.

McKay went on, as he settled further into the bed. He yawned. “Be good to have that door material that around.”

“You should be careful what you wish for,” Sheppard stated.

Frowning, McKay narrowed eyes at him. “And, what’s that supposed to mean?”

It was Teyla who replied for him. “Colonel Sheppard was able to discover the location where the material was created.”

“What?” McKay asked peevishly. “You were out exploring while I was… like this?”

“Let’s say we stumbled on the facility,” Sheppard told him. “Seems they were mining the surrounding planets for what they needed, and whipping up the stuff in an underground chamber on the main planet. We had a team down there. Pretty cool. But they couldn’t make heads or tails of some of it. We might be able to make use of the stuff – and the transporter technology -- pretty cool. Just need someone with, you know, the right brain to get working on it.”

“Really?” McKay asked, sounding like a kid who was told he could have a puppy.

“Seems there’s a ZPM down there,” Sheppard continued.

“A ZPM? I… I could go,” McKay concluded, trying to sit up again. He winced at the strain on his muscles. “I would be the guy to check it out.”

“You are not getting up to investigate it any time soon,” Carson told him. “You will be stayin’ put until I give you leave.”

“But a ZPM!” Strength seemed to increase as McKay considered the possibilities of that.

Sheppard and Ronon were grinning at this change, so it was Teyla who had to deliver the blow. “It was mostly depleted, Dr. McKay.”

“Oh,” and the energy he’d found seemed to leach out as Rodney sunk into his pillow.

“There should be enough to run the place for a while,” Sheppard countered. “At least to see if we can use it.”

“In any case, it can wait,” Beckett decided. “Rodney needs his rest. When I release him, then you can go play in your underground caves.”

“Honestly, Carson,” McKay said quietly, pressing one hand to his forehead. “I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon.” He furrowed his brow, the headache still there. “But, you know…” he trailed off as he looked toward Sheppard for help.

“We’ll go when you're ready,” Sheppard assured.

“As long as there are no Wraith around,” McKay added.

“We’ll keep an eye out for them,” Sheppard assured. “Might even rig another of Ronon’s Vegomatics. That’ll help keep them out.”

“What?” McKay asked, his eyes bleary and unfocused.

Sheppard stood slowly. He gave his friend a pat on the shoulder. “Go to sleep, McKay.”

“Yeah, well,” Rodney said with a yawn. “Might be a good idea.”

“When you wake up, maybe we’ll have some waffles,” Sheppard added cheerfully.

“Waffles?” McKay repeated softly as he closed his eyes. “Don’t have a waffle iron.”

“I hear a couple of your guys are working on rigging one up,” John said with a smile. “They should be serving them up tomorrow with the regular Tuesday hash browns.”

McKay opened one eye and peered at him, as if gauging if he was being joshed. Finally, he yawned and stated, “Yeah, that would be nice.” And his voice seemed to drift. “I like waffles.” And his breathing evened out.

“Just behave yourself,” Sheppard went on. “Don’t give Beckett any trouble and we’ll see what we can do.”

“Aye,” Beckett responded, sounding weary already, but as he leaned over McKay. After a moment, he declared. “He’s asleep already. He’ll need plenty of it for the next few days. Went through a lot.” With a sorry expression, he muttered, “I doubt his claustrophobia is going to be any better after what happened.”

“He was really very brave,” Sheppard admitted softly. “He could have totally freaked out, but…” A disconsolate look crossed him as he realized how horrible it must have been to run out of air in a contraption like that – not even considering if one was afraid of such a thing to begin with. Damn… yeah, no doubt McKay’s going to have some troubles with small places after this. I wonder if I’ll even be able to get him into a puddlejumper anytime soon.

McKay loved flying.

“He’ll be okay,” Beckett told Sheppard. “As I’ve heard said before, he’s very stubborn and can overcome almost anythin’ given the right incentive.” 

“He’ll be fine,” Ronon decided. “Won’t let anything like that stop him from checking out that new stuff.”

Teyla nodded reassuringly, telling Sheppard, “When he wants something, he is quite capable of overcoming obstacles to get what he wants.”

Sheppard smiled, proud of his people.

Beckett regarded the three visitors. “I doubt he’ll wake again tonight. You might as well get some rest.” And, with a knowing smile, he turned and made his through the infirmary and away from the bed that had been strategically placed in the middle of the room.

“Yeah,” Sheppard muttered. He stood quietly by the bedside for several moments, expecting that Ronon and Teyla would have moved on – but wasn’t surprised when they stayed with him.

“You did the right thing,” Teyla assured quietly. “He would have suffocated if you didn’t remove the crystal.”

“Yeah,” John responded. “That’s what I keep telling myself.”

Ronon nodded resolutely, and stated, “He will be fine. He is strong.”

Sheppard nodded and turned to the others. “Why don’t you two go get something to eat. I’m gonna stick around a while.”

Teyla nodded. “I will return later to relieve you,” she told him. “I do not want him to be alone.”

Ronon added, “Guess that means, I’ll be third shift.” He shrugged and added, “Will work out good.”

Teyla smiled at the Satedan, and turned toward Sheppard, “He has a ‘date’.”

Ronon reddened a bit at this comment. “Nancy wants to have breakfast with me,” he muttered. When he saw Sheppard’s eyes widen at that comment, he added with a growl, “What’s wrong with that.”

“That new lieutenant from the Daedalus?” Sheppard asked.

Teyla nodded a confirmation and turned to Ronon. “She stated that she’d like share breakfast with you?” she asked, her voice light and teasing.

With a shrug, the Satedan commented, “Said she’d like a lot of things.” And Teyla took his arm and turned him toward the door. Together they walked away, with Teyla laughing as Ronon went on to describe exactly what Nancy liked.

Sheppard smiled at his teammates as they made their way out. When he was alone, Sheppard settled into the available chair, glad to see that Beckett had left a pillow and a blanket on the next bed – in case anyone wanted to stretch out and relax a bit more as they waited. “Beckett’s a good man,” Sheppard murmured.

With a relaxed expression, Sheppard settled into his seat. Almost tentatively, he reached out a hand to rest it on his friend’s shoulder – glad that he could touch him. For a moment, he just watched Rodney breathe, then settled in to wait for him to wake up again. There’d be waffles for breakfast and that should be enough to get anyone up in the morning – that and Nancy.

Chuckling, Sheppard gave Rodney a pat and relaxed and waited for morning.

THE END


End file.
